T's Weekly Thought: Where Your Treasure Is...

Hey Everyone!

As you can imagine - some of your parents come talk to me from time to time asking questions like, "what can I do to get my son/daughter involved in church?"  "should I make my kids go to church?" "how do I make church a priority?".

I can't help but think of my own upbringing where church wasn't a weekly decision.  A "choice".  Nope.  Every Sunday that's just what my family did.  In fact, it was the ONLY guarantee in our weekly schedule.  Sundays my family went to church.  So whether we were tired, or had homework, out late Saturday night or our teams were playing games - it didn't matter.......my family was in church.  And that was that.

Unfortunately, it's not always fun to tell parents that I think church and their youth's relationship with Christ is a matter of priority.  The bottom line is.......we make time for those things most important to us.  So.....if we say that our family is important - we spend time with them, we make time for them, we make them a priority.  And if our relationship with God is important......well, same thing here.  Then it shows by our priorities.  Not by what's convenient.

There's a great passage in Matthew 6 - where Jesus speaks to this. He says, "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."

I think Jesus is saying......spend time on what matters.  What's lasting.  What counts.

I have parents and youth tell me all the time that they/their kids just don't have time to go to church.  That WOW is RIGHT in the middle of homework and Sundays is their only day to sleep in - their club soccer games are on Sundays......and 2 hours on Wednesdays for church is ridiculous.

My only response is......how convenient was the cross? 

Now I know Jesus didn't have the pressures and the schedules that we do today......but something tells me that even if he did - his life would have looked exactly the same.  He would have lived his life to make others better.  He would have only showed love.  Spent time with his family.  And he would still die so that we might live. 

What are your treasures?  What do you value most?  Are those things honorable?  And does your life reflect those answers? 

My prayer is that we can evaluate our lives.  What we value most.  And then have the courage to live accordingly.  No matter the cost.

I love you.  Always will.

T