Don't Spend It All On Your Motel Room

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." ~Matthew 6:19-21

Those verses were illustrated to me in a new way recently in John Ortberg's book When the Game is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box.  Here's an excerpt.

"Let's say you spend a week at Motel 6.  How likely would it be for you to take all your money and spend it decorating your motel room? How probable is it that you would clean out your bank account to purchase van Goghs or paintings of Elvis on velvet or whatever it is that your taste runs to?

Not very. You wouldn't even be tempted because the hotel room is not home. You're only going to be there a little while.  It would be foolish to waste the treasure of your one and only life on a temporary residence...So Jesus says it is wise to store up treasure in what's eternal:  God and people.

This is Motel 6.  Your 'room' - your home and furniture and clothes and possessions - will last the equivalent of a few seconds compared to the eternity that will be occupied by your soul. It's not bad to stay in a place and enjoy it while you're there.  But Jesus says don't store up treasure in Motel 6.  It's not home.  You're only going to be here a little while.  If you're going to stay up nights dreaming, dream about something better than how to upgrade your motel room."

How I need to be reminded that the time I spend getting to know God - through prayer and His Word - and the love I show to others are what will last forever!