The Locked Collection Box

Jasper kept his trading cards in a box with a small lock. He had sorted them by color, value, and the tiny symbols printed in each corner. When his cousin visited, Jasper brought the box to the table but kept the key in his pocket.

His cousin asked to see one card more closely. Jasper held it up himself and quickly put it away. Soon the visit became a long lesson about which cards were worth the most. His cousin grew quiet and wandered toward the bookshelves.

Jasper noticed the silence but assumed his collection had not been impressive enough. He began describing the next card he hoped to buy. His father stopped beside the table and asked him to remember what his cousin had come for. The visit was supposed to be time together, not an inspection of valuable cardboard.

Jasper closed the box and followed his cousin. They found a book of simple paper models and chose an airplane neither had built before. The first one flew into a chair. The second glided across the room and landed beneath the table. They laughed and began adjusting the wings.

Later Jasper showed his cousin a few favorite cards and explained why he liked their pictures. He still handled them carefully, but he listened when his cousin described a different collection at home. The conversation finally moved in both directions.

Jesus' words do not mean every collection is sinful. They call us to consider where our hearts have settled. Possessions become a problem when protecting and increasing them pushes people and obedience out of their proper place.

Jasper kept his box and continued enjoying the cards. He also remembered the airplane under the table. Some of the best parts of the visit had cost nothing and could never have been locked inside his collection. Caring for belongings was reasonable. Allowing them to control the room had made him miss the person sitting across from him. He wanted to remember that difference before the next visit began.