Where is Your Treasure?
In the Bible, Matthew 6:19-21 reads, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
God has a way of getting our attention, doesn’t He?
Nonbelievers often ask believers if God is so good, why does He allow bad things to happen, sometimes even to good people?
I think that question is a valid one for nonbelievers to ask.
However, I do not believe that question is a slap in the face to God.
But it is a slap in the face to mankind.
What I mean by that is that when things go perfectly, human beings often have the tendency to think we do not need God because we have it going on.
We have money in our pockets.
We have fame.
We have celebrity.
We have eye candy on our arm.
So what do we need God for?
After all, this wealth that I have accumulated, this fame I have attained and this success I have achieved comes from my hard work, perseverance and ingenuity.
God had nothing to do with my success, right?
Well, if God has nothing to do with you success, then He has nothing to do with your trials and tribulations either.
If you are self-made and not God made, then you are self-destructive also and your hard times are your own fault entirely.
But no matter what you believe, there is no such thing as a self-made success.
Whether you are a Christian, Muslim, agnostic or atheist, God’s guiding Hand was and is the main reason for your success.
The only part human beings play in their blessings is being in control of what they do with God’s blessings.
Sitting down and reassessing what is important in life is one of the blessings that have come from staying at home in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
God has let a lot of people know, via the loss of their jobs or financial losses in the stock market, that everything financially and materialistically can be taken away instantly and with very little warning.
Hollywood is often a major culprit when it comes to forgetting what God has done for them.
All people have to do is watch Hollywood award shows to see people accept awards and pretty much thank themselves and every human being that has ever walked the planet with often no mention of God.
However, what role do people play in your success really when there are no auditions to go to?
What role do people, and yourself, play in your success when there is no concert to perform at or no film festival to show off your work?
The world, like success and fame, is very fragile and can be taken away in an instant.
No one is saying that there is something wrong with financial success and career stability.
All I am saying is remember The One who orchestrated that success when the times get rough.
God said acknowledge Him in all ways and He will direct your path.
Wealth is great as long as your hope is not in your wealth.
This week, Portland Trailblazers star shooting guard CJ McCollum said that he believes one third of NBA players live paycheck to paycheck and that the NBA shutdown will adversely affect their livelihood if games are officially canceled.
That is the other side of the value of money.
Some people give money too much value, while others do not give money enough value.
Arrogance, naiveté and lack of knowledge can lead many to think that their financial blessings will never stop or at least slow down.
But in reality, a person can be riding high in April and get shot down in May.
In the case of COVID-19, people that were riding high in February were shot down in March and April.
When people get a lot of money at one time, many spend foolishly.
The African-American community usually gets hit hard with that mindset because of survivor’s remorse or guilt and the fact that many never had material things before fame or success.
While people should enjoy the fruits of their labor, what happens when the labor stops?
The money stops.
Therefore, saving becomes essential to survival.
And just because a person put in the labor, that does not mean everyone in the neighborhood gets to eat off the fruits from their fruit tree.
If you work hard and earn a significant amount of money, then that is your money and not the entire neighborhood’s money.
With the mentality of survivor’s remorse and trying to shine, financial woes are probably inevitable.
That is why many former professional athletes and entertainers end up broke after their careers begin to fade.
Fame is great if it is used to better your predicament or it gives you a voice to use to benefit others without a voice.
But the funny thing about fame is that it is very fleeting.
When professional and amateur sports came to a stop after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, many sports television networks began airing classic sporting events from years past.
I had totally forgotten some of the athletes of the past until networks like ESPN, NBA TV and the MLB Network showed those old-timers some love.
That proves that if a person puts all of their emphasis on fame, then when their fame ends they are left with no real value, unless they put their value in God’s Hands.
Nice houses are great, but they become dilapidated if not maintained.
The same goes for automobiles and all other material possessions.
But the only thing that is for certain is God’s love for you and His protection over you if you acknowledge Him.
Luke 12:32-34 reads, "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms, provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a tresure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
