Treasure Trove - Olympias

368–408

Poor little rich girl. That was the status of Olympias, born near Constantinople in 368. Her wealthy parents died when she was young, leaving her an inheritance that drew the interest of suitors far and wide. Even Emperor Theodosius got involved, arranging for her to marry one of his administrators, just so her fortune wouldn’t get into the wrong hands. Then her husband died, and the suitors returned.

Apparently Olympias was tired of it all. Still only about twenty years old, she announced that she would not marry again but would serve the Lord.

This did not sit well with the emperor. It was hard to criticize her decision publicly, but leadership was still about money and power, and Theodosius wanted Olympias’s money under his power. So he took it. Well, he placed it in a trust for her, under his control until she turned thirty.

The young woman wrote him a thank-you note. He had lifted this financial burden from her. She only asked one small favor: Could he give that money to the church and to the poor?

The cagey emperor had been outplayed. How could he deny this public, pious request? He decided to give the money back to Olympias, and he watched as she disposed of it, helping the poor, the sick, and widows and orphans like herself. She even bought hundreds of slaves and set them free.

This young woman understood something that many Christians don’t: the only treasure that matters is in heaven. It’s not wrong to have money, but it’s a burden. Olympias experienced this early in life. She was widely wooed, but it was for her fortune, not for her heart. She decided to invest her heart and her fortune in the things that truly matter to God.

Where are you investing your heart and your fortune?

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

1 Timothy 6:17-19