A loud –crash– echoed from the other room, interrupting my kitchen duties that morning. Seconds before, I’d been enjoying the raucous laughter of two of my kids as they bounded down the stairs, one in pursuit of the other. Now—there was dead silence—no crying, not even the sound of fleeing footsteps. I had to assume there were no injuries.

As I rounded the corner, there lay my antique double-globed lamp in shattered pieces on the hardwood floor (and two frightened children standing in stunned silence). Of course, I wanted to yell and scream—actually, I wanted to cry. Instead, I calmly told my kids to back up onto the stairs while I got the broom. I cleaned up the broken pieces of my beloved lamp—yet another casualty of a home full of little kids—and proceeded to have a serious follow-up talk with them.

Many items have been broken in our home over the years: lamps, glasses, plates, nativity figurines, one particularly special porcelain angel band, and other items. Usually, from kids being kids and getting a little too rambunctious inside the house or dropping things from little hands. It was upsetting, of course, but in the early years of childrearing, I determined to teach my kids that people are more important than things. I didn’t yell when things were accidentally broken and if I cried a little (which I must admit, happened sometimes), it didn’t last long.

I wanted my kids to know that the “stuff” we have here on earth isn’t going with us to heaven when we die so we shouldn’t hold on too tightly. If I were to be an example of that, I needed to be reasonable and understanding when they broke things. Of course, if rules were broken, that was addressed, and calm discipline rendered.

Jesus spoke to this issue in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 6. He told the disciples that the things they valued betrayed what their hearts loved. He told them they were to love and treasure God above all else—that they couldn’t serve two masters, God and material wealth. The same goes for us. Jesus said:

“Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 (CSB)

This scripture came to mind recently after my newlywed daughter sent a cryptic text saying, “Thank you”. She followed up with a call saying her sweet husband had tossed a pillow from one couch to the other and knocked over a favorite, brand-new lamp. It was irreparably shattered. She wanted me to know she was so glad I taught her not to be upset when items are accidentally broken and taught her to value people over things. My daughter’s been married 2 years and is already learning to “roll with the punches” (and the pillows). “Just wait until you have children,” I told her. “The bestlessons are yet to come.”

If you’re like me, you love to decorate your home with pretty things and feel like they help make your house a home. Never forget, however, that it’s the people inside and the spirit of love and hospitality that make people feel at home. And children’s hearts are precious and fragile. Stuff is just stuff, it’s here and then it’s gone. Remember, your children are always watching and learning what it is that you treasure. Be a good example of holding the material things of this world with an open hand. It’s a beautiful—and biblical—thing to do.

“He then told them, ‘Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.’” Luke 12:15 (CSB)