Randy Alcorn, in his book “The Treasure Principle”, shares this fascinating parallel about money and treasure.
The streets of Cairo were hot and dusty. Pat and Rachel Thurman took us down an alley. We drove past Arabic signs to a gate that opened to a plot of overgrown grass. It was a graveyard for American missionaries.
As my family and I followed, Pat pointed to a sunscorched tombstone that read: “William Borden, 1887-1913.”
Borden, a Yale graduate and heir to great wealth, rejected a life of ease in order to bring the Gospel to Muslims. Refusing even to buy himself a car, Borden gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to missions. After only four months of zealous ministry in Egypt, he contracted spinal meningitis and died at the age of twenty-five.
I dusted off the epitaph on Borden’s grave. After describing his love and sacrifices for the kingdom of God and for Muslim people, the inscription ended with a phrase I’ve never forgotten: ‘‘Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life.”
The Thurmans took us straight from Borden’s grave to the Egyptian National Museum. The King Tut exhibit was mind-boggling.
Tutankhamen, the boy king, was only seventeen when he died. He was buried with solid gold chariots and thousands of golden artifacts. His gold coffin was found within gold tombs within gold tombs within gold tombs. The burial site was filled with tons of gold.
The Egyptians believed in an afterlife – one where they could take earthly treasures. But all the treasures intended for King Tut’s eternal enjoyment stayed right where they were until Howard Carter discovered the burial chamber in 1922. They hadn’t been touched for more than three thousand years.
I was struck by the contrast between these two graves.
Borden’s was obscure, dusty, and hidden off the back alley of a street littered with garbage. Tutankhamen’s tomb glittered with unimaginable wealth. Yet where are these two young men now? One, who lived in opulence and called himself king, is in the misery of a Christless eternity. The other, who lived a modest life on earth, is enjoying his everlasting reward in the presence of his Lord.
Tut’s life was tragic because of an awful truth discovered too late – he couldn’t take his treasures with him. William Borden’s life was triumphant. Why? Because instead of leaving behind his treasures, he sent them on ahead.
As Christians, we realize that we can either accumulate treasure here on earth – and leave it all behind when we die – or we can invest it for the kingdom of God and, by doing so, are storing up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:20).
Is it OK to use and save up money here on earth? Yes! The Lord is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider (Genesis 22:14). He provides finances for us to use for our needs, but we need to understand that it is not Only for our needs. He provides us finances to also use for His kingdom. Use what you need here on earth, but realize that, when you die, you will leave it all behind, just like King Tutankhamen. Be sure to also invest for your future, for all eternity.
This Sunday, February 16, we will continue our teaching series, “Money Matters!”, with the wonderful truth, “FIRST FRUITS: Key to Financial Blessing” (Proverbs 3:9-10). “Am I giving the Lord my first and best? Or am I waiting until the end of the month and giving Him my leftovers, if there is actually anything left over?” Your answer to these questions will make a Huge difference in your life. Please invite someone to join you in the building or online for the Live broadcast on either Facebook (Honolulu AG) or our YouTube channel (Honolulu Assembly of God). We Livestream every Sunday to both locations and would love to have you join us.
Aloha ke Akua!
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