Treasure

Treasure. It's what every little boy dreams of finding as he makes pirate maps in his backyard and sets out on imaginary swashbuckling adventures through the summer months. It's what every teenager dreams of as he gets his first job in a fast food joint and dreams of one days owning his own car. And it's what every adult dreams of as they think of that house by the beach, the Ferrari, or the houseboat. It seems that for most of our lives we seek after treasure. The treasure may change shape, price, and size, but no matter what age or stage of life we may be in we could rightly be defined as treasure seekers. The question is, what is our treasure? Where do we spend the assets of our time, thoughts, energy, and focus? For many in my stage of life it may be our grades, seeking the treasure of the coveted 'A' or entrance into a specific program. For others it may be a promotion, recognition, a job, or a relationship. We all have treasures. The Savior stated "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:15). So where are our hearts? Are our hearts centered purely on ourselves, our possessions, our goals, our desires? Or are they focused on the lives of others, those who stand in need, and helping others to reach higher and to reach their dreams? For myself, I'm afraid the answer lies on the side of seeking my own treasure rather than helping others to discover theirs. It's interesting to read stories such as Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island or other pirate and treasure seeking stories. The pirates always waste away their lives in pursuit of their own selfish treasure and by so doing lose their lives. On the other hand we see the stories of the classic hero who's willing to give away everything for the sake of others and by so doing discovers his true treasure and true joy. They are examples of the Savior's teaching when he said "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake [or for the sake of others] shall find it" (Matthew 16:25). It is when we seek to help others discover their treasure that we discover the only true and lasting treasure and we realize that it is sweeter and more fulfilling than any treasure we could have pursued on our own.