Sunday, October 11 - Praise Band Sunday - Children's Time

"Treasures in Heaven, and Joey the Attack Squirrel! Huh?”

           I saw this news story about a pet squirrel named Joey, who as it turns out, was an attack guard!  I'll  back up and explain. 

           A man, Adam Pearl, from Meridian Idaho, came home from work one day and noticed strange footprints in the snow around his house.   When he went inside he found a few things out of place, but then he saw some scratches around the door of his gun safe. None of the guns were missing.  

Mr.  Pearl called the police to report that he believed his home has been burglarized.  Officer Ashley Turner arrived to investigate the situation.  As she was checking out the house and the gun safe, something 'flitted' by and startled her.  "Oh, what was that!" she exclaimed.  Mr.  Pearl said, "Oh, that's Joey, my pet squirrel.  He has the run of the house when I'm  not here."

Officer Turner finished the investigation and left.  A few hours later she returned with some of Mr.  Pearl's belongings and began telling him about the person brought in for the alleged crime.  During the questioning she noticed scratches all over the would be thief's hands and asked if he received those scratches during the burglary?

The man stated, "Yeah,  that house had a squirrel in it that wouldn't stop scratching and biting me until I left!"

Joey, the squirrel, prevented the burglary.  He was a heroic and courageous guard squirrel protecting his Master's  treasures. 

The Bible speaks of protecting our treasures, not here on earth (we don't all have a guard squirrel like Joey), but as is written in the book of Matthew 6: 19-21, "Don't  store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty and where thieves break in and steal.  Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten, or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves.   Wherever your treasure is,  there your heart will be also."

But you may ask, "How do you store up treasures in heaven?"  By giving!

Giving to others, tithing, telling others about Jesus, doing deeds of kindness, and sharing.  These are the treasures God is interested in.  Loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and loving others as yourself.  True treasures, and you don't need an attack squirrel like Joey to guard them.

Dear God,  Thank you for your kindness to us.  Help us to show kindness to others, that we too may store up treasures in heaven.   We love you God.  Amen. 

God Bless.