There are many names for the children of our Father in heaven. Some of those names are the following, “strangers, pilgrims, ambassadors, saints”. There are many more, and each one is a lesson on our identity. Some clearly indicate that we do not belong to the world in which we live. Our real home is heaven, in our Father’s house (John 14:2). So then, why do some Christians accumulate so many of the treasures of this life?

I recall the story of a Christian motivational speaker. One time, when he came home after a lengthy time away at numerous seminars, he discovered his basement had been flooded. All of his records of past and future bookings, all of his audio visual lectures, along with his office equipment had been destroyed.

He sat on the basement stairs wondering how he could ever recover from the disaster. His career had come to a dreadful, long term stop. After a time grieving, he suddenly had a brilliant thought. He remembered that the present world was all going up in smoke at a future date appointed by the Lord. So, why be sad at what he could never keep on the long term?

He recalled that his treasures in this life were of no value to his Father in heaven so why should he be upset? The One he followed only owned the clothes on His back. So he realised that he still had much more of this world’s goods than his Master had while in this life. He then thanked the Lord for helping loosen his grip on temporal things.

Have you forgotten your identity as found in your name? Are you too busy accumulating things that you cannot take with you to heaven? Where are your real treasures? Who are you anyway? What is your real name?

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Matthew 6:24 (NASB)