What is important to you? I’m often teased about the labeled boxes I have around the house. The other day, I ran across one marked “Personal,” and I found precious memories: Children’s photos, scribbled drawings, Mother’s Day cards. I smiled as I shuffled through the papers and thought: What do we cherish? What brings a smile to our hearts, reminding us how blessed we are?

I thought of those who lost everything in the last hurricane. If they survived, I’m sure their answer would be different than before the storm. The material things we have can be taken away in a moment. We might have a high-paying job, a big house, the finest clothes. But try as we might, we won’t find what is most important to cherish here on earth. The world tells us that more is better and that our happiness depends on how much we can acquire. But the Bible gives us the answers we seek.

In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, we see one man impressed with his earthly accomplishments and the other who knows he needs more than what this world could give him: a right relationship with God. And that’s precisely what we should cherish…living in a right relationship with God.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with boxes of photos and cherished memories. But the treasure that will last is found only in a relationship with our God.