Priorities
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures 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 6:19-21
These verses above speak directly to our priorities and our focus in life. We are challenged to put most of our time and energy into eternal things, things that will make a difference now and when we are no longer on this earth. As a teenager, it is hard to see past today and especially past this year or season. We all want the latest trends in clothes, the new Iphone, and anything else that will make life more fun and interesting. We put our time, our energy, and our money into areas of life that satisfy us now. We focus on our temporary happiness instead of our eternal holiness.
These verses challenge us to think about the things we are focused on in life, things we base our happiness on, and realize that they can be destroyed or stolen in a matter of minutes. They challenge us to base our decisions and our happiness on areas of life and relationships that will withstand storms, thieves, and our own personal weaknesses.
We are challenged to store up things that matter, things that will last, and things that have eternal value. Our relationships are a good example – here, we are encouraged to put our time, energy, and money into our relationships rather than things we can lose, break, or mess up in an instant. This is not saying that having nice clothes, a nice car, or an Iphone is bad – it is saying that God wants us to put other, more meaningful things ahead of the clothes, car and phone on our priority lists, because we make decisions and put our heart into the areas of life that we prioritize.
Take Away: Make a list of your priorities and make some changes to that list if needed. Pray that God will guide you in this process.