Treasure Hunt

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:19-21

The Church I have been blessed to be involved with in this tiny valley supports many missionaries with Campus Crusade for Christ.  This past week Cru missionaries have been visiting our Church here, which has been amazing.

Following the above passage, Jesus goes on to say, "The eye is the lamp of the body.  So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light." (Matthew 6:22)  This "eye" represents the Christian's perspective.  If our eyes see eternity, we will be full of light.  However, if our eyes cannot see past our current circumstances, "the whole body will be full of darkness." (vs 23). 

An Argentinian missionary named Carlos challenged us tonight to think of an event that changed our eyesight.  I immediately thought back to one of the greatest adventures I have ever had the privilege of taking.  I'm not sure if there was a specific incident, or if I was simply growing up, but the time I spent in Cameroon three years ago GREATLY changed my eyesight.

My time in Cameroon showed me that many things I value (food, shelter, healthcare, family relationships, and clothes) are temporary.  All of these things are necessities of physical, earthly life, but they are not necessary for eternal life.  I saw people living without these things I value.  I saw hardship, hunger, pain, suffering, and loneliness.  I immediately wanted to fix these things, to make these people better and give them a more "fulfilling" life.  My instinct was to feed these people, give them money, find them a family, and show them they are loved.  What an earthly way to think.

When we arrived for our time at the orphanage, the beautiful children were eating a "hearty" breakfast we had provided for them.

But the next day, I quickly learned how finite and temporary a meal is.  IF these kids are lucky, they get one meal a day.  IF some rich Americans come into town thinking they can fix everything, they will receive two meals.  But what happens when the visitors leave and it's back to reality for these orphans?

Desperate for SOMETHING in their stomachs, they will scrape dirty pots for the hope of one grain of rice.

I can give Benoit and the rest of the orphans clothes, a meal, and some healthcare I'm positive he needs.  But, at the end of the day, how far will that really go?

I can help the students on campus pay for their tuition with the hope of a better future for their broken country.  I can buy them a water filter so they're not constantly ingesting parasites and bacteria.  But, at the end of the day, what has that really accomplished?

When you begin to live with an eternal perspective, your entire outlook on life changes.  You begin to see that if these orphans and students know JESUS, they will be provided for.  Not only will knowing Jesus help them in the meantime, but it will also mean an eternity spent with the Creator of the Universe.  It means never being separated from the God who IS LOVE.  That, my friends, is an accomplishment.  That is how you have a fulfilling life.

I'm not saying that food, shelter, education, and family are bad things.  But the Bible tells us in Psalm 16:2, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You."  Without Jesus, the things of this earth are worthless to us.  Without eternal perspective, what are we working towards?

Let's all get our eyesight checked.  I'd like to have a clear view of the next adventure God has in store for me.