The Measure of Treasure

The Word is first...

2 Corinthians 6:10 (NIV)
10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

I see this bumper sticker around town that reads "Don't let my car fool you, my real treasure is in Heaven." Usually it's plastered onto the back of a car that is well past it's prime but just the other day I saw it on the back of a brand new luxury car. At the time I thought that was an odd statement to make on that particular vehicle. But in retrospect I realize that I based that opinion on false assumption and a misplaced value. You see, I was thinking that the person didn't need to make excuses for their vehicle as was the case with those cars that are 'past their prime.' I was thinking that the car itself IS the treasure. Both these statements reflect a problem in me that wrongly assigns value to Earthly things based on their outward appearance. I had lost touch or perhaps I have not yet matured as a Christian to the point where I can eschew things of this world to the extent that God would have.

The Apostle Paul, on the other hand, in his letter to the Church at Corinth articulates a value system that is based on faith in God and the total confidence that accompanies such a fervant belief. In the passage presented for study today Paul writes of the challenges he faces in terms of contrast. In the verses that precede v10 he contrasts; glory and dishonor, bad report and good report, genuine yet regarded as impostors, known yet regarded as unknown, dying yet living on, beaten but not killed. In each of these pairs we see one aspect that is enough to discourage and one aspect that is sufficient to encourage. The one which governed the life and attitude of Paul was whichever he chose and so it is with us. By worldly standards, Paul had plenty of reasons to pout and protest. Yet he did not and the reason he did not was because of the faith which fueled him. By his faith he was able to chose the aspect of every situation that was encouraging.

In v10 Paul remarks that as a servant of God he commends himself to... sorrow yet always rejoicing. I believe that the sorrow that motivated Paul was not the petty anxiety of concern over his situation. Rather I believe it was a deep compassion and empathy for the lost. I believe that Paul's sorrow was for his fellow man and the road not taken. Yet he rejoiced; he rejoiced in the fact that he served a God of second chances who can, will and does pluck the repentant off the path to destruction and place their feet on the highway to holiness. As a redeemed sinner, Paul had plenty over which to rejoice and welcomed every opportunity to spread the Good News of Christ Jesus.

Paul further speaks of poverty; "poor, yet making many rich." Of course, he was not making people rich by the giving of money but rather through the act of charity that is sharing the truth of salvation and the promise of eternal life. Paul was following the example of Jesus Christ in reaching out to the poor, both from a conventional perspective and from a spiritual perspective. Where the redemption offered by Christ is there to are riches beyond comprehension. Thus a person can be at once poor (monetarily) and extravagantly rich if he has but the love of Jesus in his heart.

Paul continued in this vein when he spoke of "having nothing, yet possessing everything." I find this concept to be irreconcilable with the world and culture in which I live. Not only is possession nine-tenths of the law, it is ten-tenths of perceived success. But if we examine this not with respect to money but with respect to eternal matters, we can see the wisdom of it. As Christians we recognize that we are only stewards of Earthly things which means we 'have' nothing. Yet by demonstrating our ability to be faithful with that which God has entrusted to us, we find ourselves rewarded with still greater responsibility. In this way, we possess everything that we may give it back to God. Further, as Christians we recognize that this world is not our eternal home and that though we may 'have' things of this world, it is only for a season and then it is gone. However, the matters of love, faithfulness, gentleness and joy, though have no substance in the world, they are the very things that we may possess forever.

With this new and improved understanding I can see that the drivers of both cars, the one past it's prime and the one that is pristine, perhaps have a better grasp on the principles of Paul than I give credit for. The wisdom given by God and the conviction delivered by The Spirit must be put to use in my life. I must move past the point where outward appearance is equated with success.

Growing,
Carl