Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 19:20-22 “All of these I’ve kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
John 14:1-3 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you with Me that you may also be where I am.”
Every now and then you have moments where your world is kind of rocked and you are forced to reevaluate everything going on with you spiritually. For me, that moment came yesterday morning. I was walking outside getting ready to go to work when I discovered someone had broken into my car. The driver’s side vent window (that tiny little window in the back door) was completely shattered, the doors were unlocked, and my car was completely ransacked. They also tried to get under my car’s hood but they were unable to. It was definitely an awful start to the day. In a matter of moments, I had gone from confusion to shock, to panic, to sadness and then to extreme anger and disbelief at the manner in which these unknown vandals damaged my car. Never in my life had I felt so violated. As I sat in my car, all I could think of was that there was someone whom I didn’t know, that had been in my car, totally unwelcome.
Throughout the day following this discovery, it was so hard to focus. In the midst of my emotional roller coaster gone haywire, it really sunk in with me: I was mad. Livid, in fact. I felt uneasy and no longer safe. But now am I am writing this, I really feel as though I’m seeing a bigger issue here. An issue bigger than someone cracking out my window and trashing my car.
Why am I getting so angry? These vandals could have taken anything (thankfully they didn’t), but even if they had, so what? They are just earthly possessions. Then I realized, I am getting angry over earthly possessions. In the grand scheme of things, what do they matter? You can’t take any of it with you when you die. For these objects (and the violation of them) to stir me to such a level of anger is a little worrisome. The things that stir you in such a way are the things that you are most attached to–the things that have your heart.
Now of course, any sane person would get angry, but how is the child of God supposed to respond? Sitting and stewing in fear, anger, and worry over something fleeting? I am no less protected by God now that I’ve ever been. He is still in control. He still loves me. So why do I feel any less secure? I shouldn’t! My true wealth, my eternal life, and my possessions that are really worth something are in heaven with God where no one can break in and take them away.
So now I’m choosing to not be mad. I’m not going to get angry. I am using this whole experience as an opportunity to truly see God in all of this–not just the good times but also the bad times. I am thankful for the reminder of where my meaningful possessions and riches are–with the One who still sits on the throne, now and forever. There’s no need for me to be attached to manmade things here on Earth. God’s protection + Jesus’ salvation + assurance of eternity = a stress-free way to live.
“Don’t let your happiness depend on something you may lose.” -C.S. Lewis