When I was three, I wanted one of those pink battery-powered Barbie cars, and I got it. I also remember not wanting to share it with my brothers. It was my car, and I wanted no one else to drive it but me. When I was four, I wanted a two-story deluxe Barbie house because my cousin had one, so my dad built a two story house with carpet, tile, and even doorways.

I didn't want anyone else to play with my Barbie house, not even my younger cousin who came over to play with me. When I was twelve, I wanted a multiple disc CD player, and I got it and listened to music often. I still have that CD player today. When I was sixteen, I wanted a car for my birthday, so my dad found an affordable one. I never wanted him to drive it because it was my car even though he paid for it. When I was twenty, I had a harder time thinking of anything I wanted for my birthday or Christmas. I usually decided on money or clothes. Now that I am twenty-four, giving my mom or dad Christmas ideas is a big challenge because now I enjoy getting and doing things for other people instead of getting things for myself. One thing I know I want right now is to be able to live a life that's worth saving by helping to make other people's lives better.

It's funny how as we grow older we tend to want things less, at least that's how it is in my case. I know that's also due to the fact that I accepted Christ during childhood, and because I have chosen to walk with him, I have been created to be more like Him. The more I grew up and became more mature in Christ, the less I cared about material things, and the more I started caring about other people and how I could be used to make someone's life better.

The key to selflessness is to focus on someone other than yourself - to focus on Christ and how He would want you to live. When we decide that Christ is more important than anything in this world, even more important than our own agenda, we start to live life the way he intended and begin storing up treasures in heaven instead of treasures on earth. Treasures on earth get lost and destroyed. Do I know what happened to that Barbie car or dollhouse I wanted so badly as a child? I have no idea, and it doesn't even bother me. I know the heavenly rewards that come with being selfless and loving God and other people will last longer than any earthly possession ever could.

As it is written, "Do not 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 destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there you heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).

Sarah Smith grew up in Oklahoma and graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with an English degree. She loves being a child of God and serving in missions. She has gone on trips to Germany and London and served a recent term of five and half months in London as a missionary intern. She recently applied to seminary and is looking forward to attending Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where she will study Christian Counseling.