For the better part of 4,000 years, treasures have been difficult to keep. Of the many discovered and lost items of worth is the Florentine Diamond. Boasting of 133 carats, the Florentine is reported to be the largest pink gem of its type in the world.
Historian Gordon Brook-Shepherd wrote about its origins and its loss. It was the Hadsburg royal family which once held it in their possession. When the royals found themselves on the losing side of World War I, they entrusted its keeping to a lawyer named Bruno Steiner. The diamond was suppose to be kept in a secure bank vault in Switzerland, but it disappeared and Steiner was arrested and charged with fraud. To date, no one knows the whereabouts of the 133 carat gem of rarity. Treasures are hard to keep.
Throughout all time, people have spent their life’s blood chasing money, land, and material assets. The story is old, but sobering. Even though we know this world is not our home, the church often becomes entangled with ambitions far beyond the Kingdom of God. People covet what they do not have; grasp what they cannot hold: and work for what they cannot keep.
Jesus spoke of the man whose crops yielded a good crop. The man built more barns to store more of what he already had. By society’s standards, he was successful. Luke 12:20-21 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
I can always tell the motive of a man when I look to see where they put their money. Jesus gave us the test: Matthew 6:20-21 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
These truths are not new, but they are settled. The Kingdom is all that matters. Our treasure is the location of our heart. While this is not the American way, which demands the pursuit of material things, it is the way of the Cross. Souls, the Gospel, and the salvation of people is all that really matters. Our investments in ministry tools and in Kingdom endeavors are the only things that will last. The song writer once penned these words, “Only What You Do For Christ Will Last.”
If you are unsure of your heart status, I urge you to check the location of your treasure. You might say that you have no treasure, but the fact is everyone has a treasure. To that end, the destiny of many lives may very well hinge on the heart of the church.
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole