When was the last time you counted your wealth? After bank statements arrived in the mail or after analyzing online accounts? This information comprises only part of your treasure on earth. Your wealth encompasses so much more. Have you considered the myriad sources of your wealth? Consider your family and friendships, your time, skills, experience, education, and health. Add to this wisdom, peace, joy, love, faith, and countless other spiritual blessings. What else can you identify as a big plus in your life? It’s time to take a complete inventory.

God keeps tabs on our wealth, too. But He is more concerned about how much we give away rather than the numbers in our accounts. The dollars and every last item in your inventory are direct blessings from His hand, for He has promised to provide for all of our needs according to Philippians 4:19. Therefore, we may freely give from our treasures on earth. Take a look at your inventory. How do you tithe from each one? St. Paul instructs us in 1 Timothy 6:18-19: “Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future so as to win the life that is true life.”

Our wealth was meant to be spent in generosity and love toward others. We are not to store up and hoard the bounty of earthly treasure we have been blessed with. God advises us to be busy storing up treasures in heaven, for, indeed, we have been blessed to be a blessing. Amen.