Today´s 11th grade literature class included the reading of Henry Van Dyke´s The Mansion. It is such a clever and beautiful paradox that tells the story of an elderly man named John Weightman who lived in a mansion. Since the class, I have not been able to shake the story from my thoughts. So, let me share it with you.
Mr. Weightman had spent his life carefully administering his money and building a name for himself as well as many large charities. He had financed hospitals and schools, his local church, and had also prepared a lasting legacy for his family. He was considered successful and generous.
In the story, (for those who have not had the pleasure of reading it) he enters into a conflict with son Harold, who wants freedom to live his life without having it all planned out for him. He wants to use his summer vacation to go help with a project that has no monetary gain and to help a friend who has fallen ill. His father insists these activities are not a good investment, and they have a falling out.
John Weightman then tries to read his Bible. He turns to the passage in Matthew that says: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust do corrupt and where thieves break through and steal." He justifies that his treasures had been kept safe from moth, rust and thieves and then falls asleep.
While asleep, he dreams he is taken to heaven with several others, and each is given their own mansion. After everyone has received their just rewards, Weightman is anxious to see his, sure that it will be better than all of the others. His mansion, however, turns out to be a rundown old shack. When he complains, he is told that these were the only materials he had sent ahead to build his mansion. The gatekeeper goes on to explain that in order to build a beautiful mansion in heaven, he had had to live a generous life on earth with selfless motives. Almost all of his ventures on earth had been for his own credit.
Jesus explains at the end of a series of parables that describe His Kingdom that “...every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” Matthew 13:52
The teachers of the law lived strictly righteous lives. They studied the Scriptures and did their best to live spotless lives, but their motives were not always selfless, even if they were, at times, generous. Jesus said these experts and religious folks were not disciples of the Kingdom, not until they brought out new treasure as well as the old from their storerooms.
Do I have storerooms of treasures that I keep only for myself? And, when I am generous, do I give with selfish motives? What is my mansion in heaven being made out of?
