He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep
to gain what he cannot lose.
Jim Elliot

CHAPTER 1: BURIED TREASURE To understand this chapter, you must understand the parable of the hidden treasure. The entire parable spans two sentences, one verse:

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Mt. 13:44)

Alcorn explains:

The parable of hidden treasure is one of many references Jesus made to money and possessions. In fact, 15 percent of everything Christ said relates to this topic–more than His teachings on heaven and hell combined.

Why did Jesus put such emphasis on money and possessions?

Because there’s a fundamental connection between our spiritual lives and how we think about and handle money. (p.8)

Alcorn elaborates on how our approach to money is a spiritual thermometer. This isn’t a simple list of rules for managing money as a Christian. This cuts right to the heart of our faith:

The traveler made short-term sacrifices to obtain a long-term reward. “It cost him everything he owned,” you mihg lament. Yes, but it gained him everything that mattered.

If we miss the phrase, “in his joy,” we miss everything. The man wasn’t exchanging lesser treasures for greater treasures out of dutiful drudgery but out of joyful exhilaration. (p. 10)

Jesus reveals the so-called “Treasure Principle” in Matthew 6:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Mt. 6:19-21)

Jesus has a treasure mentality. He wants us to store up treasures. He’s just telling us to stop storing them up in the wrong place and start storing them in the right place!

Jesus is talking about delayed gratification. The man who finds the treasure in the field pays a high price now by giving up all he has–but soon he’ll gain a fabulous treasure. As long as his eyes are on that treasure, he makes his short-term sacrifices with joy. The joy is present, so the gratification isn’t entirely deferred. Present joy comes from anticipating future joy.

Of course, Christ himself is our ultimate treasure. A person, Jesus, is our first treasure. A place, heaven, is our second treasure. Possessions, eternal rewards, are our third treasure. (What person are you living for? What place are you living for? What possessions are you living for?)

You’ll never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul. Why?

You can’t take it with you–
but you can send it on ahead.

It’s a revolutionary concept. If you embrace it, I guarantee it will change your life. As you store up heavenly treasures, you’ll gain an everlasting version of what that man found in the treasure hidden in the field.

Joy. (pp. 12-19)

There you have it. The Treasure Principle is the basis for this little book: You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead. More Alcorn to come. In the meantime, review these discussion questions with your parents:

• What person are you living for?
• What place are you living for?
• What possessions are you living for?

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