Worrying and Treasures in Heaven

When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 Jared and Melissa were living in New Orleans. I remember them having to leave New Orleans very quickly without taking many of their possessions with them. They got out of New Orleans with a few pieces of clothing, one vehicle, and not much else. They left behind most of their worldly possessions.

During the previous four years they had left New Orleans to avoid other storms but were always able to return within two or three days. Katrina was different. Very different. They could not return in a few days. In fact, it was a month before they would return. They lost a car and other possessions to Katrina.

I remember Jared calling me to tell me that he and Melissa would be coming to Illinois for a while until they could go back to New Orleans. Kathy and I were very worried about them and whether their car and other belongings that they left behind were okay or not. We were very thankful that they were okay, but still upset about what they were going through.

While we waited for them to arrive, I remember reading in my Bible. Right after talking to Jared on the phone while he was driving to Illinois from Louisiana, I found myself reading Matthew 6:19-21. I had been worrying about all of the things they left behind when Katrina hit and the passage I was reading was about storing up treasures in heaven and not here on earth. 

That passage hit me right between the eyes. We should not have been worrying about possessions at all. We should have been worried more about what we were building for heaven. I remember calling him back so that I could read to him from Matthew 6:19-21. He did not seem surprised at all because that passage had been on his mind as well. He also told me that on their way here to our house in Illinois that they had seen truck after truck of people headed to areas hit hard by Katrina. Jared and Melissa had decided to head back to New Orleans as soon as possible to help with the clean up and rebuilding. They were worried about what they would find on their return, but knew that they felt called to be there.

Their heart was where their treasure was.