True Riches

 Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. (Revelation 22:12 NIV)

 A wealthy man who was dying was visited by an angel, and he asked the angel if he could take some of his riches to heaven with him. The angel responded that it wasn’t normal practice, but that he’d go and ask. Upon his return he said permission was given for the man to take one suitcase full of his riches.

 When the man died, he arrived at the gates of heaven with his suitcase, and the angel met him there. Curious as to what riches the man had brought with him, the angel asked if he could look inside the suitcase. The man opened the case, which was full of gold bars. The angel looked at the man and said, “You brought pavement?”

 What we do in this earthly life—the fruit of our relationship with the Lord, our discipleship, our following God’s Word, our service to Him and others, our loving actions—is all investing in eternity, and it makes a difference in the afterlife. And one’s lack of such investments factors in as well. The life we lead, the decisions we make, the good that we do, the love we give, all of it factors into our eternal future.

 While as Christians we are each saved and have eternal life, we will give account for our life, for whether or how we followed God and His Word, and will receive reward according to what we have done or not done in our earthly life. —P. Amsterdam [1]

 Being rich toward God means learning about your gifts and passions and doing good work to help improve the world. —John Ortberg

[1] P. Amsterdam Anchor Only One Life, ’Twill Soon Be Past