The Lost Envelope / 累积财宝

[Dexu Xia]

The Lost Envelope

Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:20

We were on the way home from a visit with family in another state when I found it. I was pumping gas when I noticed a dirty, bulky envelope on the ground. I grabbed it, dirt and all, and looked inside. To my surprise, it contained one hundred dollars.

One hundred dollars that someone had lost and who at that very moment was possibly frantically searching to find. I gave our phone number to the attendants at the gas station in case anyone came back looking for it. But no one ever called.

Someone had that money and lost it. Earthly treasure is often like that. It can be lost, stolen, or even squandered. It can be lost in bad investments or even in a monetary market over which we have no control. But the heavenly treasure we have in Jesus—a restored relationship with God and the promise of eternal life—isn’t like that. We can’t lose it at a gas station or anywhere else.

That’s why Christ told us to store up “treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). We do that when we become “rich in good deeds” (1 Timothy 6:18) or “rich in faith” (James 2:5)—lovingly helping others and sharing Jesus with them. As God leads and empowers us, may we store up eternal treasure even as we anticipate our eternal future with Him.

What can you do this week that has eternal implications? How can you better use your earthly treasures as investments for heaven’s good?

Dear God, thank You for everything You’ve given us on this earth—our money, our homes, and more. Help us to hold them loosely while seeking to store up more eternal treasures.

累积财宝

只要积攒财宝在天上，天上没有虫子咬，不能锈坏，也没有贼挖窟窿来偷。-马太福音6章20节

有一次，我和家人驾车到别州探访。回程途中，我在加油站添油时，发现地上有个脏兮兮、看起来很厚的信封，我捡起来探头一看，发现里面竟然有一百块美金！我想遗失这笔钱的人可能正焦急地找这个信封，于是我把我的电话号码留给加油站的服务员，请失主和我联络，但过后并没人打电话给我。

那人本来拥有这笔钱，却把钱弄丢了。世上的财宝常是如此，可能会遗失、被偷走，或甚至被挥霍一空。投资不善或不了解金融市场都会让人失去财富，但我们在耶稣里所拥有的属天财宝，却不会失去。我们在耶稣里拥有的属天财宝，就是与上帝和好的关系以及永恒生命的应许，我们绝不会在加油站或任何其他地方遗失。

因此基督劝勉我们“要积攒财宝在天上”（马太福音6章20节）。当我们愿意“多做好事”（提摩太前书6章18节，现中修订版）、在信心上富足（雅各书2章5节）、乐意帮助人，并向人分享耶稣时，就是积攒财宝在天上。当上帝带领我们，赐给我们力量时，愿我们在期盼和祂一起的永恒未来时，都能积攒属天的财宝。

亲爱的上帝，谢谢祢赐给我们在世上的金钱、房屋，以及其他的供应。但求祢帮助我们，不紧抓地上的财富，而是积攒更多永恒的财宝。 以地上的财富，投资永恒产业。