The sun bore down on us, but we dug deep into the sand.
My niece, nephew, and I filled our buckets, dumping them into a bigger pile. When the pile grew large enough, we used special molds and shovels to shape the sand—creating watch towers for soldiers to stand guard, filling a moat with fictitious alligators, and building a drawbridge, all things needed to keep us safe. When finished, we stood back and admired how strong and safe our castle looked. No enemy would dare try to conquer it.
Later that night, our family walked across the cool sand toward our sandcastle. As we neared it, we noticed it was halfway under water. The tide—the one element of attack we forgot to prepare for—had destroyed the towers, moat, and drawbridge.
Jesus said the same would happen to treasures stored on earth. We often spend time building our financial portfolios, sustaining our spiritual life, and training our children to walk in the ways of the Lord. Then the one thing we didn’t prepare for comes like an enemy threatening to steal in an instant everything we’ve built: a medical crisis, a hurtful action, an addiction.
Don’t build sandcastles that crumble once difficulties hit. Store your treasures in heaven by building relationships, forgiving others, and loving the unlovable. Invest in treasures that the tides of life won’t sweep away.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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What a powerful word picture of investing in what will last - the eternal!