Treasures Above, Not Below

Chioma sat in her office, staring at the promotion letter. The salary would triple. Her family’s problems—the children’s school fees, her mother’s medical bills, the house rent—all seemed solvable now. Yet something in her spirit hesitated. The new position meant compromising her integrity in ways she knew grieved the Lord. She had built her hopes on this earthly breakthrough, and suddenly she faced a choice that forced her to ask: What am I really living for?

This is the tension Paul addresses in Colossians 3:1-2. He begins with a powerful declaration: “If ye then be risen with Christ.” Every believer is seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). This is not a metaphor—it is our spiritual reality. Because we are risen with Christ, we possess a citizenship that transcends Nigeria’s economy, politics, or social status. We are no longer bound to live for earthly outcomes alone.

Then comes the command: “Seek those things which are above.” The word “seek” means to pursue earnestly, to make your goal. Paul is not telling us to be indifferent to food, shelter, or education. Rather, he is calling us to order our priorities. When we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, Matthew 6:33 promises that all needful things shall be added unto us. The eternal perspective does not reject provision—it reorders what we pursue and how we pursue it.

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Affection means where your heart is fixed, where your emotions and desires are anchored. Many Nigerian believers are trapped because their affections are entirely earthbound. We worry endlessly about tomorrow’s provision, comparing ourselves to neighbors, chasing status, accepting moral compromises for material gain. But Philippians 4:8 reminds us to think on “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just.” This is mental discipline rooted in eternal vision.

Living with eternal perspective does not make us unworldly or irresponsible. Rather, it frees us to work diligently (Colossians 3:23 says “do it heartily, as to the Lord”), to provide for our families (1 Timothy 5:8), and to be generous—all without anxiety or compromise. When eternity is your true home, temporary losses lose their sting, and temporary gains lose their grip.

Chioma chose to decline the promotion and seek another role. Within months, God opened a better door—one that honored both her provision and her conscience. But more importantly, she learned that her security was never in any salary. It was in Christ, who cannot be lost.

Lord, help me see today’s choices through the lens of eternity, and grant me courage to choose your kingdom over earthly comfort.