Here is an interesting thought to ponder: we try to teach our children to share – all the time doing the best we can to own everything we need so we never have to share.  A bit inconsistent, isn’t it?

We have bought into the idea that we have to own everything we use.  Our homes, garages, and (where I live) polebarns are full of things we seldom use, but nevertheless bought sometime along the way.  Now we have to store all the stuff that is just rusting or rotting where it sits.  Except for the polebarn, I share in this tendency.

What about an alternative?  It is interesting that the early church held everything in common – that is they shared things.  Take the example of a roto-tiller.  I’m told they cost about $1000.  How often do you use a roto-tiller?  Once or twice a year?  So all kinds of people have roto-tillers rusting in their sheds 363 days a year.  Now suppose four families decided to buy a roto-tiller to share.  Instead of forking over $1000, they only have to fork over $250.  That is a significant savings – especially in our current economy.

If our eceonomy continues to deteriorate, we may be forced to start thinking this way just to survive.  And if our economy improves?  What if we still started learning to share anyway.  In the roto-tiller example – there is an overall savings of $3000.  Now suppose that savings was used to support missionaries trying to get to the field or to feed hungry children in another country.  Sharing and then giving the savings could help us advance the kingdom.  We need to start thinking more strategically and creatively about the resources God gives us.

Bottom line: We can store up treasures on earth that we rarely use or we can learn to share and store up treasures in heaven.   I think Jesus said something like that once….