Guarding the True Treasure

1 Timothy 6: 13 I'm charging you before the life-giving God and before Christ, who took his stand before Pontius Pilate and didn't give an inch: 14 Keep this command to the letter, and don't slack off. Our Master, Jesus Christ, is on his way. 15 He'll show up right on time, his arrival guaranteed by the Blessed and Undisputed Ruler, High King, High God. 16 He's the only one death can't touch, his light so bright no one can get close. He's never been seen by human eyes - human eyes can't take him in! Honor to him, and eternal rule! Oh, yes. 17 Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage - 18 to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. 19 If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life. 20 And oh, my dear Timothy, guard the treasure you were given! Guard it with your life. Avoid the talk-show religion and the practiced confusion of the so-called experts. 21 People caught up in a lot of talk can miss the whole point of faith. Overwhelming grace keep you! (The Message)

It seemed during the days when I used to watch at those hours, that late-night television infomercials were geared for one of two things; being as thin as you wanted, and as rich as you wanted. Paul's command and charge to Timothy is to stay firm in the faith. There is nothing, Paul warns, that will ever equal the wealth of faith. Paul believed Jesus was on the way, and His arrival would be "right on time," and assured by the One Whom is "Blessed and Undisputed Ruler, High Ruler, High King, High God." The message to accompany the preparations for that arrival is for all people, especially the wealthy, to overcome obession with money, for money is fleeting. The one pursuit that we should have is that of God, who will supply "all the riches we could ever manage - to be good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravangantly generous." For Paul, this is the treasure that will always last. And Timothy in his having been called, was already wealthy, and thus already had a treasure. Faithfulness to the faith as he had received it would endure, and he should stay away from the talk and teachings that come and go, serving only to confuse. God's grace is ours and that is for our living the faith in a way that honors God and blesses God's children.

The same is true for our churches. We should be all about the treasures that Paul mentions; The riches that come our way in faithful service to God and to the people of God. We should, as individuals and as churches, to strive to be good, to be all about helping others and to be extravangantly generous in all our dealings. Is this true in you?

PRAYER: Loving God, help us to be the rich blessing that You have instructed through Paul. May the teachings to Timothy be ours as well. We seek to be rich in giving. May it be so, we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde