October Treasure I value relationships. One of the many relationships that I value is my family, and I’m looking forward to attending a family reunion this month. I’m a product of the Harrison clan. My great grandparents, Jim and Sarah Harrison had ten children and forty-one grandchildren, including my father. When I was a child, Daddy told me that I was related to just about every Harrison in Gainesville, and he was right!

Funny thing about family. You don’t get to choose them; you are part of the group, whether you like it or not. Perhaps that’s why the old saying rings true: You can choose your friends, not your family. And sometimes you choose your friends because of your family!

Most things we learn early in life begin with our families. You might say that we know how to do life together from our families.
And if we value family, chances are good that our actions will follow that value. Simply put, we treasure our families.

Whether we realize it or not, we all have treasure. We all have things we search for, fight for, and store up. Though the items in the chest are different, we all have a treasure that holds great value. 

Often, we think our treasure will follow our hearts. The thinking goes that if we focus on changing our hearts, then our values or treasure will shift. Believe it or not, it’s easier to change our treasures than to change hearts! Because the things we hold dear, which we consider essential to our happiness, survival, and security, become our treasures. And our treasures determine our priorities as they reveal our true ambitions, attractions, and affections. What we invest in, we are committed to. The things we treasure govern our lives. What we value occupies our minds and grips our emotions.

But what if God’s mission of doing life together becomes our treasure? Then, as Jesus suggested in his Sermon on the Mount, the opposite happens - that our heart will follow our treasure. When Jesus talks about treasure, he means more than just money. He is referring to how we invest our lives. When our treasure is centered on God’s mission in our community, we become ALL-IN by investing our time, energy, and resources to do life together!

During October, our Stewardship month, we will focus on a new series called ALL-IN Treasure – Doing Life Together. I treasure relationships, so my heart follows doing life together with others. Like many of you, I also treasure the legacy of Snellville UMC and want to see it continue beyond my lifetime. 

As a product of my great-grandparent’s lineage, most of whom attended our home church in Gainesville, I understand what it means to be part of a legacy in a community. I’m committed to continuing Snellville UMC’s legacy and helping the congregation thrive by doing life together with our members, friends, family, coworkers, and community members. 

At the Intersection,

Dr. Quincy D. Brown