What’s real? What’s worth our time and money? We all have to decide but Paul’s letter to Timothy gives some good advice.
1 Timothy 6: 17-19 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Back in 1969 Coca-Cola launched a new ad campaign with the tagline “The Real Thing.” They expanded on this tagline with the “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” group of ads in 1971. There have been a lot of taglines since then but they settled on a shortened variation in 2003 with “Coca-Cola….Real” and then “Make it Real” in 2005. Why the advertising history lesson? Well, it seems to me that in Timothy we’re encouraged to take hold of the true life, the “real” life if you will, and just like we were told to grab a Coke we’re commanded to take hold of the true life. There’s a catch though. We have to let go of something else, money.
Now the verse says that money is uncertain. Anyone who’s started the weekend like we just did yesterday with some money in their bank account only to have that balance assailed by Saturday knows what I’m talking about. I used to think that a couple hundred bucks was a lot of money but I’ve known Saturdays that lay to waste that much and more. No, money isn’t forever and according to our scripture it surely isn’t worthy of our hope.
Money comes and goes but if we’re generous, if we share, if we stock up on good deeds then we’re putting aside treasures that build a foundation for the one true “real thing.” I can’t tell you what I bought with my money on some of those expensive Saturdays. I imagine in some cases it was meant to bring me happiness but if it did at the time it wasn’t lasting. The things that God has for our enjoyment, through giving, those are things I’ll remember. Volunteering time or serving in outreach and missions projects, those are the experiences I won’t forget. That’s true life and the thing is it’s there for the taking; we just have to reach out and grasp it.
So go for it. Just do it. Put your hope in God. I promise that the exchange of your time or your money will be worth it. I promise your reward, far from being just memorable, will be the real and true life you’ve been looking for.
What have been your most memorable acquisitions? Why? Comment below if you’d like.
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