When I was a kid, I probably ruined more than a few baseball cards. We’d clip them to our bikes with a clothespin so they smacked the spokes and made that perfect “engine” sound. In our minds, we weren’t just kids on bicycles - we were Harley riders, kings of the open road.
The only problem? Those cards didn’t last. After a few rides, they were bent, torn, and worthless. At the time, it didn’t matter, the thrill was worth the sacrifice. But looking back, I can’t help but laugh at how quick I was to trade something valuable for something temporary.
The older I get, the more I realize I still have that same tendency. Maybe you do too. We chase things that won’t last - the quick thrills, the temporary fixes, the stuff that promises to fill us up but leaves us empty. Jesus talked about this in Matthew 6:19–21:
“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... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Those baseball cards in the spokes were fun, but they didn’t last. The same is true for so much of what we chase in life. But the things of God — His love, His Word, His promises — those never wear out.
I still dream about owning a Harley someday. But more than that, I want to keep my heart set on the things that last forever. Because when it comes down to it, I don’t want to trade eternal treasure for something that’s only good for a few spins around the block.
