Almost everything you're building will burn
You can steward faithfully and still miss the point.
You can release control, make wise decisions, honor your limits—and still be building toward something that won’t last.
Before I share a chapter of my book with you next week (more on that in a moment), I need to answer a question that sits underneath all of it:
What am I actually building toward? What survives?
Jesus said something that should stop us cold:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
The first part is easy to grasp. Everything material passes away. The car rusts. The house crumbles. The résumé fades.
But what about the second part? What is “treasure in heaven”?
I’ve come to believe that three things last: character, community, and communion.
Character. The person you’re becoming will last forever. Not the persona you project. The actual you—the one being formed through a thousand small surrenders.
Community. The people you invest in are eternal. Every person in your living room on a tired Tuesday night will exist forever. The relationships you build? They don’t rust.
Communion. The deepest treasure isn’t what you build or even who you become. It’s who you’re becoming like—and the promise that you get to be with Him. Forever.
Two kids under three, both crying. My wife beyond exhausted. My reserves completely gone. And a thought I’ve never said out loud: They have taken everything away.
I thought I was a patient father. Turns out I was a father with margin. When the margin disappeared, I saw what was underneath.
That exposure? It’s formation. God isn’t using my children to make parenting easy. He’s using them as a crucible, forging something in me that will outlast everything else.
The person I’m becoming through that? Eternal. Even when it doesn’t feel like treasure yet.
Almost everything I’m rushing toward will burn.
But the person in front of me? The person I’m becoming? The God who’s with me?
Those I get to keep.
This week’s practice: Treasure Audit
Take 5 minutes. Write down:
Three people God has placed in your life who will exist forever. Specific names, not categories.
One thing God is forming in you right now. Not what you wish he were forming. What is he actually growing?
One moment recently when you were fully present with someone who matters.
That’s what lasts. Build toward that.
Next week: I’m releasing Chapter 1 of my upcoming book. A chapter entitled, “What Is Stewardship?” where I begin to unpack some of what I’ve been sharing in these emails—the definition, the framework, the freedom.
It’ll be $1. Not because I need the dollar. Because I want readers who are invested. People who will actually read it and tell me what they think.
If that’s you, keep an eye on your inbox next Thursday.
Rex
Rex, your writings are a perfect blend of ancient truth and fresh perspective . I’m really enjoying reading and reflecting.
Love you!
When God wanted to make a king out of David he didn’t give him a crown. He gave him Goliath. Our challenges prepare us for our purpose.
I always said that God taught me something new with each of my children. Character building