What Treasures Are You Storing?

I listened to a great preacher this past weekend talk about one of the points Jesus made in the Sermon on the Mount.  

Jesus said, "Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal.  Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

As I listened to the message, I thought about a lot of things.  First, of course, what "treasures" am I pursuing on storing here on earth and is it wrong to do so?  The preacher made a great point in saying that during this part of Jesus's sermon he did not say it was wrong to have money set aside for a rainy day or to have nice things in your life, but most focus on only the stuff they want to accumulate and not on the bigger potential they have to do great things for those around them and their fellow man.  

Jesus is right.  We cannot take all the stuff with us.  The money.  The nice home(s).  The cars.  The material things.  We can however make a difference in others lives and for the generations that come after us.  And we do that by putting those "treasures" first instead of the material treaures.  

If we focus on the treasures we can store in heaven - the things we can do to help others or make things better for those around and strive to live in the best way we can serving those around us, it will do much more for us than the "stuff."

Don't get me wrong.  I like the "stuff."  I like setting goals and reaching them with the rewards financially and opportunities that they bring.  But, I must not make those more important than the things that really matter and make a difference.

As entrepreneurs, we are in a unique position in that we can do a lot to help others and make a difference for them.  We can do this with our employees every day.  We can do this with our spouses, kids, family, and friends.  Each day, we should ask, "What treasure can I store in heaven by making a difference for others today?"  It doesn't have to be something huge.  It can be a simple as checking in on someone or helping them through a challenge.  It can be offering a helping hand to someone who needs it.  

The point is that we need to rethink the "treausures" we put first in our lives.  Whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, the message is still valid.  Prioritize the right things - you can have both, but prioritize the right ones first.

How will you implement this philosophy into your daily life?