Margaret set a tray of cookies on the table. The ladies from the prayer group would be here soon. They were such a blessing in her life. They’d each lost their husbands, some longer ago than others, and the common bond of grief and love for the Lord bound them together in a way few other things could.

The doorbell rang, and one by one, her dear friends entered. As they gathered around the table and the small talk wound down, Margaret introduced the topic for discussion.

“I’d like you all to take a few minutes to think. What is your most treasured possession?”
Around the table, the four other women fell silent as they considered Margaret’s question.

“Since you’ve had a head start to think about it, why don’t you go first?” Brenda asked.

Margaret smiled. “Sure. It’s an easy question for me. I saved every letter Paul sent me when he was in the war. Every letter signified hope. Whenever I received one, I knew he was still alive, and still thinking of me.” She brushed a tear from her cheek. “After the war, we married, and he never wrote me another letter. He never needed to, since we were never apart after that.”

“That’s so sweet,” Cheryl said, patting Margaret’s arm. “For me, it’s my grandfather’s Bible. My brother and I used to stay at my grandparent’s house, and my grandfather would sit on the sofa, with one of us on either side of him, and he would read Bible stories to us. He wrote notes in the margins, so when I read it today, it’s almost like he’s speaking to me. I’ll never forget how safe I felt with him reading to us.”

 “I wish I’d known my grandparents,” Janet said. “My parents were older when I finally came along, and my grandparents all passed away when I was too young to remember them. My most treasured possession is my photo albums. I love looking at pictures of the kids when they were young, or the carefree days of my own childhood.”

Brenda bit her lip. “This is a tough question. I thought about the photo albums too, but I have to say my grandmother’s china.”

“Is it valuable?” Janet asked.

“I have no idea,” Brenda said. “It’s not important to me for that reason. It’s special to me because we ate off that china for every holiday. The whole family gathered around the huge table at my grandparents’ house. I have such special memories of those times. When my grandmother passed, my mother inherited the china and the traditions continued. After my mother passed away, the china came to me, and I’ve served holiday dinners to my own grandchildren on the same dishes.”

“That’s a wonderful tradition,” Pam said. “My most valuable possession is my father’s coin collection. It’s kind of for the same reason. We used to go together to coin shops, flea markets, yard sales… He loved the search for a rare coin. He’d polish the coins and slide them into protective sleeves. Later he’d pull some out and tell me what they were worth and where he acquired them. Some kids play ball in the yard with their dads. My dad and I built a coin collection together.”

Margaret gazed around the room at her dear friends. “Thank you for sharing those stories with me. Do you realize what all those valuable possessions have in common?”

“They’re all passed on to us from people we love?”

“Close,” Margaret said. “They all represent relationships. I treasure Paul’s letters because they showed me his feelings when he was far from me. The photo albums show pictures of the people Janet loves. The china, the coins, and the Bible remind you ladies of special times with your family. So many people chase after wealth, prestige, or power. But at the end of the day, at the end of life, relationships are all that matters. The only thing we can take to heaven with us is other people. Let’s try to live our lives in such a way that other people are drawn to heaven like we are.”

Matthew 6:19-21

 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Lord, thank You for the people you put into our lives. From our grandparents to our grandchildren and everyone in between, thank you for the relationships we share with others. Please help us to focus our efforts and our time on developing relationships with other people, to encourage other believers, and to shine our light to non-believers. Your most precious possessions are us, Your children. It is Your will for us all to be in heaven with You. Please help us draw others to You, according to Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.