It was a warm sunny day in early spring. Mrs. Green was enjoying the smell of damp earth and the sounds of birds chirping, as she dug up a new garden patch in her backyard. As she hummed softly, she thought of what she would plant there: lettuce and peas first, then cucumbers and tomatoes after the danger of frost was past. She would also plant some bright flowers for pretty color all summer.
Clink. What was that? Her shovel had hit something hard. She bent down to take a closer look. Sifting through the dark brown soul, Mrs. Green uncovered a small metal box inside a plastic bag. It looked like it had been there a long time. Taking the box out of the bag, she gently shook it. Something rattled inside.
Mrs. Green studied this strange box, wondering how it had gotten into her garden. Was someone trying to hide a treasure there?
While He was here on earth, Jesus told His disciples, “Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt [or ruin things].” Matthew 6:1919Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: (Matthew 6:19). This small metal box had been ruined. The plastic bag had not protected it very well from water and the metal had rusted. Do you think in the ground was a smart place to hide a treasure?
Jesus goes on to say, “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” Matthew 6:2020But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (Matthew 6:20). While we finish our story, think about how we can hide our treasures in heaven.
Carefully, Mrs. Green opened the little box. What she saw inside made her smile. There were two pennies, a nickel, a dirty white rock, a rusty bell on a chain, a tiny ivory dog, a bead and a shell... all treasures that would belong to a child.
Mrs. Green remembered a game that her children used to play. They would gathered up small treasures and bury them in carefully wrapped packages, to be dug up a year later. They thought it was so much fun to find their special belongings again to see what they looked like after such a long time underground.
One of her daughters, as a little girl, had buried this treasure box quite a few years earlier. She had grown up and moved away, forgetting to dig up that box of special things. Mrs. Green smiled again as she held in her hand that collection of nearly worthless objects that once had been so special to her daughter.
Our never-dying souls are a far more valuable treasure than this box of trinkets. In fact, if we could have anything in this world that we wanted, it wouldn’t do us any good if we ended up losing our souls. “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:3636For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36). This is like storing our treasure on the earth. It will get ruined and we will lose it.
If we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we can be sure our souls are safe, hidden with Christ in God. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36). Wouldn’t you like to have your soul kept safe in heaven? You may, if you will trust in Jesus today.
ML-06/11/1989