Bro. Tom Holland once told a group of us a personal story about an experience of his on a mission trip in a third world country. An older woman and her son had heard the gospel and had been baptized. Bro. Holland and another brother from the States were following the woman and son back to their “home.” When they got there she just kept saying “I am so happy! I’m so happy!”
Bro. Holland said as he gazed about and took inventory of the primitive “hut” that these people lived their lives in his eyes filled with tears. This woman, who was so filled with joy, had almost nothing by way of physical possessions. Her existence was one of mere survival.
Sometimes we live our own lives “surrounded” by abundant wealth and yet we complain! We have more food than we can eat; more clothes than we can wear. We have so many physical possessions that it takes huge trucks and many people to move all that we own from one place to another place. We are - all of us - wealthy beyond belief compared to most of the world! Then we fill up each moment of the day seeking pleasure, entertainment or the accumulation of more goods. Is it really any wonder that we do not regularly long for a heavenly home?
One of the pithy sayings of Bro. George Bailey was, “When the pleasures of life come to mean less the treasures of heaven will come to mean more.” (Mat 6:21)“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
- Tim Orbison