My stepfather was helping us move into our new home when he saw a box label that made him laugh. It was: "Miscellaneous Junk." I wasn't sure if he was laughing at my candor for labeling the box that way or the thought that we were actually moving "junk" from one home to the next. Either way, I'm sure that he would have laughed harder if he had realized that we had moved this same box, with the same "junk", from our previous home and now we were moving it a second time without even knowing what was inside.
What is it with us? Why do we value things that we know are junk? One of my favorite quotes is from a famous missionary who was martyred in his efforts, Jim Elliott. He said, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose."
It seems that the object of so much of our labor is temporal treasure that only brings fleeting pleasure. Jesus encourages us to labor for His Kingdom ensuring that the results of our labor will bring eternal treasure and eternal satisfaction. "...for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:21)
Where is your heart? Is your effort in building treasure as useless as moving boxes of unknown "junk"? Or is your heart enriched, encouraged, and enlivened by a growing relationship with Jesus as you share Him with others? Today is the day to use your labor for the right kind of treasure.
