Faith Friday — Episode 50

Where Is Your Treasure?

Hello, and welcome to Faith Friday, episode 50.

All week we've been talking about decluttering our belongings and the things we choose to keep in our lives.

And as I was thinking about Faith Friday, I kept coming back to something Jesus says in Matthew 6.

He talks about not storing up our treasures here on Earth, but instead storing up treasures in Heaven.

And in Matthew 6 verse 21, He says that where our treasure is, that's where our heart will be, too.

And that really made me stop and think because I don't think this means that we're not supposed to have things.

There's nothing wrong with having a comfortable home.

There's nothing wrong with enjoying something you bought.

There is nothing wrong with having things that are important to you.

But I do think it's worth looking at how much of our time, money and energy goes into getting things and then maintaining everything we already have, because sometimes the things we own can start requiring a lot from us, and that connects to what we've been talking about all week.

What Does It Take to Maintain the Life You Want?

Maybe there's a certain lifestyle you want to have.

Again, there's nothing wrong with that.

But what does it take to maintain that lifestyle?

Maybe having more means you need mo- to make more money.

And making more money might mean working more hours.

And working more hours means giving more of your time and energy to your work.

So at that point, I think it's worth asking, "What am I giving my time, money and energy to? And does that match what I say is important to me?"

Because we only get so much time.

We only have so much energy, and yes, we need money to live.

But if I'm using most of what I have to get more things, maintain more things, or keep a certain lifestyle going, what do I have left for the other things that matter to me?

And that brought me to another thought.

Money Isn't the Only Thing We Have to Give

When we think about what God has given us, it's easy to think about money, and money is part of it.

We can give financially, we can help someone who needs something, we can support causes we care about, but money isn't the only thing we have to give.

We have our time, we have our abilities, we have things we are good at, we have our experiences, and we have opportunities to help the people around us.

Giving doesn't always mean giving money.

Sometimes it's giving somebody your time.

Sometimes it's volunteering.

Sometimes it's helping somebody with something you know how to do.

Sometimes it's listening to somebody who needs someone to listen.

Sometimes it's simply noticing that someone needs help and choosing to show up.

And that made me think about another thing Jesus says.

Being the Light Wherever We're Planted

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus tells his followers that they are the light of the world, and he gives this picture of a lamp.

You wouldn't light a lamp and hide it underneath the basket.

You put it somewhere where the light can actually shine, and I think that's such a simple picture because if God has given us light, what are we doing with it?

Are we keeping it to ourselves, or are we taking that light with us into places where we already are?

And being a light doesn't have to look one specific way.

It doesn't mean everybody has to stand in front of people and preach.

Maybe you talk about your faith.

Maybe you don't say anything at all in that moment, but your actions speak for you.

Maybe it's how you show up in a really difficult work environment.

Maybe it's how you treat someone who isn't being treated very well by everybody else.

Maybe it's being patient with somebody when everyone else seems frustrated with them.

Maybe it's helping someone.

Maybe it's serving in your community.

Maybe it's using something you're really good at to make someone else's life a little bit easier.

Maybe it's your words, your actions, or maybe it's both.

There are so many ways we can be light, and I don't think we have to wait for some huge opportunity to do it.

We can be light wherever we're planted.

What Do You Want to Make Room For?

And that's where this week's conversation about our belongings started to mean something a little different to me.

Yes, I'm making more physical space in my home.

I'm looking at what I want to keep and what I want to let go of.

But maybe there's a bigger question underneath all of it.

What do I want to make room for in my life?

Because my belongings aren't the most important thing about me, and having more isn't necessarily going to make my life more meaningful.

So if I can spend a little less time, money, and energy maintaining the things that don't really matter anymore, maybe that gives me more of those things for what does matter.

More time to serve, more energy for people around me, more opportunities to use what I'm good at, more room to notice when somebody needs help, more room to be present, and maybe more room to let my light shine.

Faith Friday Reflection

So today, I wanna leave you with a few questions.

If you looked at where your time, money, and energy are going right now, what would they say your treasure is?

Does that line up with what you want to be most important in your life?

And then think about what God has already given you, your time, your abilities, your resources, your experiences, your opportunities.

How can you use some of what you've been given to be a light wherever you are planted?

It doesn't have to be something huge.

Maybe there's already an opportunity right in front of you.

Until Next Time

Thank you for spending a little bit of your day with me.

Until next time. I will see you for System Saturday.

Until then, I hope today's episode helped you create a little more clarity, feel a little more calm, and have a little more confidence.