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"But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven" (Matt. 6:20, NRSV).
Perhaps you've seen the commercials—the ones asking: "What's in your wallet?" Yeah, that one! It may be a humorous commercial, but dig a little deeper into that question and you may find the very essence of your life. So really, what's in your wallet (or purse or clip)?My hunch is that your wallet represents your life very well. For example, inside your wallet you probably carry photographs of your loved ones—nothing new here—but when you think about it, you carry these photographs because these are the people who most impact your life—the ones you live with, work with, struggle with and love unconditionally.You probably have important documents in your wallet, too. How about an insurance card? A social security card? Perhaps various account numbers or pin numbers or passwords? Yes, we carry what is important to us. We always are living with the awareness that our lives are fragile, and what we may have to provide identification or proof of our existence.
Not everyone knows who we are, and the world is large. We often may feel more of a number rather than a name, but we want to be able to embrace life as we live it or as needs arise.You probably have money in your wallet, too. What we carry on our person (or not) says a great deal about how we use the gifts God has given us. Are we traveling light? Are we weighed down with cares about what we lack or what we want to spend? Our money represents our priorities in terms of what we save, what we give and how we give it. Finally, we may have something in our wallets that identifies our faith. Perhaps it is a small cross, a card with a prayer or maybe a photograph that reminds us of God's love. These items are important, too; carrying them with us can give us a sense of God's presence.Think about your wallet today. What's in it? Who's in it. Then give thanks for all of the opportunities God provides—opportunities to love, serve, give.
Lesson by Todd Outcalt
