material girl

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

MATTHEW 6:19–21

We’ve all heard the lyrics to the song “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Part of this is true: We are living in a material world. Girls and women these days are stereotyped by men (and themselves) to love shopping and love material things. We are led to believe that in order to have a happy life, we must have the biggest house, the nicest car, and the most stuff. But God tells us something different. It does not matter what we have here on earth. What matters is what treasures we have stored up in heaven. In Matthew, we learn that our possessions here on earth are only temporary, for moth and rust destroy them and thieves to break in and steal them. I know right now it seems like we need to have the best clothes and shoes and accessories, but we can’t take those things to heaven with us. There will be things there that are so much better we’ll forget about all the earthly stuff we used to think we had to have.

Brittany Behler, 17, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences, Hixson, TN

I think I have to have so many things.
But the only thing I have to have is You.