Written by Pastor Jack Wellman“He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain. He who spends his life moving toward his treasures has reason to rejoice. Are you despairing or rejoicing? ”
– Randy Alcorn
Randy Alcorn Treasures in Heaven Quote Commentary
There is only one thing that we’ll take to the hereafter. Hint: it isn’t our cars, our big homes, our great careers, or those letters after our names. Nope. What we take to the great beyond is our character. This is the most precious thing we have. In fact, it is our life’s work. Our whole life is spent painting and laboring on this great canvas called our character. This is what people will remember. This is our legacy to our families. This is our impact on earth. Most important of all, this is what God will judge us by. Character matters. Character counts.
The value and power of character
The sad news is that character can’t be bought. In fact, it can’t be faked. While reputation is something that can be coached, molded, sculpted, even manipulated, character can’t be manufactured. While reputation is simply the product of what people say about us, character is what we do when no one can see. Character is what we do when no one is paying attention. This is our core. We should guard it. It is our greatest treasure.
Character destined for eternity
What is the character that is destined for eternity? What character is destined to embrace the wide open arms of the Lord? Jesus himself told us that we should seek first the kingdom of heaven. This is the key to character that truly matters. There are many types of characters that we can achieve. We go for characters that other people will respect and esteem. At the end of the day, the only character that matters is the character God wants. He wants the character that focuses on Heaven’s treasures. These are reflected in the character created in a reborn heart by the Holy Spirit. This character shows love when the world hates it. This character shows joy when the world says one should be sorrowful. This character shows patience when everyone else is in a hurry. This character shows faithfulness when everyone else has moved on. This character shows self-control when the world screams that we should seek ourselves first. Character destined for eternity is a product of a lifetime. It doesn’t happen overnight. While we are justified by our faith in an instant, developing character that is fit for heaven is the work of a lifetime. Are you ready for the journey? Are you ready to focus on the things that truly matter?
