Real Treasure: Aligning Your Heart with Jesus through Everyday Generosity
Garage sales might seem like simple community events where people gather to buy and sell old belongings, but they can also reveal deeper truths about our values, priorities, and what we truly treasure in life. Inspired by reflections from Coffee Creek Church, we explore how the tangible and intangible things we hold dear shape our hearts, and how aligning these with the teachings of Jesus can transform our lives through the spiritual practice of generosity.
The Museum of Garage Sales: What Our Belongings Say About Us
Anyone who enjoys garage sales knows the thrill of the hunt—scouring listings online, mapping out the best routes, and diving into piles of forgotten items. But beyond the fun and occasional find, garage sales offer a unique lens into what we value. They become, in a way, a "museum" of our past priorities, a collection of things we once thought important but now find less valuable.
Take the story of wandering down a long, private dirt road near Liberty Lake, ending at a garage sale filled with old Christian books and DVDs. Among these was a beautifully leather-bound Bible priced at ten dollars. The seller mentioned it belonged to her late husband and that she didn't believe he ever read it. This moment, while seemingly sentimental, quickly turned into a practical negotiation, ending with the Bible purchased for just three dollars.
This experience highlights the paradox of value. What we assign worth to can be deeply personal yet subject to negotiation and change. Similarly, when we hold garage sales ourselves, the reality of value often stings. Items once cherished and thought to be worth much might only bring pennies on the dollar, leaving us to reconsider our attachments.
Valuing the Intangible: More Than Just Stuff
Garage sales remind us not only of the shifting worth of physical objects but also prompt us to think about the intangible treasures in life—our relationships, time, effort, and core values. These elements, impossible to price at a yard sale, hold a different kind of significance. Yet, because they’re not tracked on spreadsheets or bank statements, we sometimes struggle to recognize their true value.
Jesus offers profound insight into this through his teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 6:19-24, he contrasts earthly treasures with heavenly ones, urging us not to store up possessions that decay or can be stolen but to invest in eternal values that moths and rust cannot destroy.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." — Matthew 6:19-21
This passage teaches us that what we invest in—our treasure—reveals the desires of our heart. It’s not about what we say we value but where we actually spend our resources: time, money, and energy. Jesus highlights that our eyes are like lamps lighting our path; if our focus is healthy and aligned with God, our whole being is filled with light. But if our focus is unhealthy, darkness follows. Moreover, he warns us that we cannot serve two masters—God and money—because devotion to one often means despising the other.
Temporary Joy and the Heart’s Treasure
In today’s fast-paced consumer culture, we are bombarded with messages to buy more, upgrade faster, and keep chasing the next best thing. The upgrade cycle for technology, from smartphones to appliances, has accelerated dramatically. Remember when your grandmother’s old appliances lasted decades? Now, if a dryer breaks, the common advice is to replace it rather than repair it because it’s cheaper and faster.
Yet, Jesus challenges this throwaway mentality, reminding us that earthly treasures are fleeting and unreliable. Investing in them leads to temporary joy and often disappointment. John Wesley, a key figure in the foundation of Methodism, echoed this caution. He famously said, “When I have money I get rid of it quickly, lest it find a way into my heart.” Wesley’s words remind us to guard our hearts from the love of money, which can swiftly lead us down dark paths far from the life God intends.
While money itself is not evil, the attachment and love of money can enslave us. Most people see themselves as rational and good, but Jesus knew the human heart’s vulnerability and the ease with which we can fall into unhealthy attachments. This is why guarding our hearts and practicing good stewardship over what we have is crucial.
The Futility of Storage Units: Holding On to What No Longer Serves
Storage units have become one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, filled to the brim with items people don’t want to part with but rarely use. These units are often packed with old furniture, broken electronics, and boxes labeled “very important” but covered in dust. It’s a vivid metaphor for how we sometimes store away parts of our lives that no longer bring value or joy, yet we pay a premium to keep them out of sight and out of mind.
Not only do these earthly treasures fade, but they also demand our loyalty. Financial expert Dave Ramsey notes that the more stuff you own, the more attention it requires. Managing possessions can consume mental energy and time, leading to the question: at what point does your stuff own you instead of you owning it?
James, the half-brother of Jesus, echoes these warnings in his letter:
"Look here, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded." — James 5:1-3
This sobering reminder points out that wealth and possessions are not lasting or reliable sources of security and happiness. Even the finest clothes and most treasured gold can decay or be lost. Living in a wealthy country, many of us fall into the trap of accumulating more, forgetting the temporary nature of these treasures.
Embrace Generosity: Letting Go and Living Freely
The stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius advised, “Receive wealth or prosperity without arrogance, and be ready to let it go.” This mindset encourages us to hold our possessions lightly and be prepared to release them when the time comes. Holding too tightly to material things can trap us, preventing us from living fully and generously.
So how do we live out this teaching? How do we develop a healthy perspective on possessions and value? The answer lies in the spiritual practice of generosity.
Strategic Generosity: Transforming Communities through Intentional Giving
Generosity is more than occasional random acts of kindness—it is a deliberate, planned practice that shapes our hearts and communities. This week, consider embracing planned generosity, a practice that stretches your faith and aligns your heart with Jesus.
Planned generosity can take many forms:
- Giving Time: Volunteer intentionally, even if it feels inefficient or uncomfortable. Sometimes serving food, cleaning, or stacking chairs may seem mundane, but these moments are opportunities to practice presence over productivity and build meaningful connections.
- Offering Encouragement: Use your words to uplift others. Encouragement costs time and social comfort but can profoundly impact someone's outlook, mental health, and life direction.
- Financial Giving: Make investments without expecting repayment or strings attached. Giving with open hands and hearts reflects trust in God’s provision and a willingness to support others selflessly.
Imagine if every Monday, individuals from all walks of life—those with abundant resources and those facing financial challenges—paused to ask, “How can I be generous this week?” This collective mindset could revolutionize communities, relationships, and individual lives.
Within communities, some have the spiritual gift of generosity, stepping forward to meet needs without being asked. But generosity is a practice for all, not just the gifted. Like any skill, it requires exercise and intentionality.
Planned Acts of Kindness: Cultivating a Lifestyle of Generosity
Random acts of kindness are well-intentioned but often forgotten. Instead, schedule acts of generosity—put them on your calendar, set reminders, and pray for opportunities. This intentionality fosters growth in generosity and aligns your heart more closely with Jesus’ example.
Jesus didn’t just teach generosity; he embodied it, giving his life for others. When we give, we aren’t losing something; we are aligning ourselves with his heart and becoming more like him. While most of us recognize we fall short of Jesus’ perfect example, our desire to grow in generosity is a vital step forward.
Small, consistent steps in generosity can reorient our values. What we fund is ultimately what we follow. If we want to know what truly matters to us, we don’t need a garage sale to reveal it. Instead, look at where you invest your time, talent, and treasure. This honest self-assessment serves as a report card of your values.
If you find your priorities out of alignment with your faith and heart’s desires, take it as an invitation to pray, reflect, and make course corrections. Generosity, practiced daily and intentionally, opens the door to a richer, more fulfilling life centered on eternal treasures.
Conclusion: Aligning Your Heart with True Treasure
Our culture constantly pushes us to accumulate and upgrade, but Jesus invites us to a different path—one of storing treasures in heaven through generosity, relationships, and faith. Garage sales and storage units remind us how fleeting material possessions are and how easily they can consume us.
By embracing planned generosity, we train our hearts to value what lasts: love, kindness, presence, and sacrifice. These treasures cannot be eaten by moths or corroded by rust. Instead, they build communities, transform lives, and reflect the heart of Jesus.
Let this be your challenge: each week, ask how you can give—your time, your words, your resources—with no strings attached. As you do, you’ll discover the joy of living generously and the peace of aligning your heart with true treasure.
