Treasures Are Acceptable

“[There is] treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.” (Pr 21:20 AV)

That word ‘treasure’ has me intrigued.  The simplest understanding of the word is anything stored up for future use or pleasure.  When we tend to think of treasure, we tend to think of a pirate’s treasure of plundered goods stored for mere ego’s sake.  When we think of treasure, we often think of materialism.  We think treasure is the amassing of things we don’t need nor will ever use.  When we think of amassing treasure, we think of it as sinful.  Yet the understanding above is actually a virtue.  The simplest application of the verse above is that the wise save up while the wicked spend everything they have.  And more!  Yet, it is the word ‘treasure’ that has me intrigued.

As I have mentioned before, I watch a program of an archaeologist who travels the world trying to solve the mysteries of history.  About half of his adventures are looking for lost treasure.  In the last episode I watched, they were looking for a horde of wealth left behind by a early lady leader of the English.  She is not well known.  This feminine warrior defeated the Roman legion more than once.  Yet one day she fell ill and died.  It is said that before she died, she buried a large sum of treasure somewhere in the English hillside.  As the archeologist was searching, they stumbled across a field that contained two dozen Roman coins cast of silver from the third century.  Apparently, the pagans would offer precious metals to their deities by scattering and burying their wealth in a field of significance.  As this archeologist scours the world looking for different treasures, the pursuit of wealth is what drives him.  And many others as well.  This is not the meaning of the verse above.

We are not to amass wealth as a testament to our own accomplishments.  Our egos are not the motive for storing up treasure.  But at the same time, it is not necessarily wrong to have some things of value.  There is nothing wrong with having some nice things that we can enjoy as the fruit of our labors allows.  Pride is issue here.  I have seen millionaires who eat like the poor just because they are trying to amass wealth.  But I have also seen wealthy individuals who understand that treasures are to be used.  Hording gathers dust and rust.  Just like Jesus told us they would.  Using the wealth God gives is the balance between spending it up and storing it up.  I guess what the LORD has for us this morning is to ease our overly guilty conscience regarding the possession of treasures.  It is ok.  We don’t have to live like church mice if that is not God’s will for us.  If His will is that we live comfortably while using what He has given for His glory, there is nothing to confess.  We are right with God.  Treasure is ok.  It is not wrong to have.  What it produces will determine the ethics of our possession.