Verse:  Matthew 13:52
He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

Devotion
As we work our way through Matthew we’ll encounter some verses that are easier to apply to our lives, and some that are more challenging. This verse has a pretty specific meaning. Jesus is saying that if a Jewish teacher of the law finds faith in Jesus and becomes his disciple, they will be able to bring treasures out of both the old covenant and the new (although Jesus didn’t use that language just yet). Those teachers would have an ability to link the Hebrew scriptures (our Old Testament) with the teachings of Jesus that would be powerful – like bringing out treasures for others.

We obviously aren’t teachers of the law, but we are disciples of Jesus. So how can we apply this to our lives?

What struck me, personally, is the idea of bringing out treasures from a storeroom. It reminds me of another passage where Jesus says, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart… For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45).

So what am I storing up in my “storeroom?” What treasures am I able to bring out for others? What is my heart full of that will come out when I speak?

The challenge for me (and for us) is to fill our storeroom with the Word of God. Just as the teachers of the law could bring out treasures, we also need to be able to bring out the treasure of the truth of God’s Word. When a friend is going through a hard time, when we are struggling, when someone needs advice, or when a loved one calls for prayer. What is stored in our heart that we can “bring out” for others? What will come from our mouth?

My hope is that I will speak wisdom and truth from the Word of God stored up in my heart. I hope I can bring out treasures that have been “stored up.” How will I store that up other than regularly spending time in his presence and his word? The more I spend time with him, the more I will store up, and the more I’ll be able to “bring out” for others when I need to.

What’s in your storeroom?

Author: Christian Dunn