Treasures in the Storeroom

I had a sizeable collection of baseball cards when I was a boy. Some of them came from packages of bubble gum, others from the backs of cereal boxes. (My brothers and I were so eager, we often cut the cards out of the boxes even before we ate the cereal.) I kept the cards on the dresser in my bedroom. Once in a while I would shuffle through them and admire the statistical accomplishments of great players like Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Frank Robinson, and Pete Rose.

Today, those baseball cards would be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars if I still had them. Back in the 1960s, though, most of us didn't recognize the potential value of our collectibles. I'm not sure what happened to my cards. I've always suspected that my mother threw them away, but she doesn't remember doing so; and even if she did, it wasn't her fault. If I had understood the cards' value, I would have taken better care of them.

Sometimes we don't recognize an item's true worth until we lose it. We take our health for granted until we get sick. We take our loved ones for granted until they move away or die. We take the Bible for granted, but where would we be without it?

What Is in Your Treasure Chest?

Jesus said, "Every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old" (Matthew 13:52). The Message translation gives this verse a picturesque paraphrase: "Every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it."

Every Christian has a storeroom where we keep our spiritual treasures. It's a place deep within the heart where, like Mary the mother of Jesus, we treasure what the Lord has done.

Jesus says this storeroom contains "new treasures as well as old." Old treasures include:

Famous Bible verses like John 3:16;

The familiar but always compelling story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection;

Great hymns written decades or centuries ago;

Christian friends and trusted leaders we've known for years;

Comforting memories of God's faithfulness in the past.

New treasures include:

Fresh insights gained from studying unfamiliar or difficult passages of the Bible;

New methods to communicate God's love to our current culture;

Contemporary songs that express our worship in creative ways;

New friends who enrich and expand our fellowship;

Adventurous new goals that stretch our faith and pull us boldly toward the future.

Putting It All Together

Instead of debating which treasures are better, the old or the new, why not recognize that both can be good? Ask the Lord to fill your spiritual storehouse with ancient treasures. Don't miss the great stories, music, questions, and lessons of history. Heed the wisdom of your older brothers and sisters in Christ. At the same time, keep adding new treasures to your storehouse. Welcome creative ideas and interesting people. Rejoice with young believers who bring a fresh new perspective to your faith.

Fill up your storehouse with treasures old and new. And whatever you do, don't throw them away.