Treasures in Heaven

What is valuable to you?

We often lead busy lives in pursuit of storing up material things on earth. Sometimes we worry about the future and we’re just looking for some security that comes with a little additional wealth. Other times we’re driven by the latest fad, newest technology, or the constant commercial marketing to store up material things. While these are common human impulses, the Bible teaches us to watch carefully how we spend our time and money.
 
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” That is, how we spend our time and money reflects our values. In addition, if we spend our time and money gathering up material things our heart will actually follow those tendencies.
 
This should give us some pause about how we spend our time and money. If we were to audit our checkbooks, what would it say about our values? What if we audit how we spend our time?
 
In Matthew 6:24, Jesus reminds us that we “…cannot serve both God and money.” We will hate one and love the other. Therefore, we have to make choices everyday about where we are storing our treasure. We can make choices in our lives to focus on building our relationship with God and building loving relationships with those around us. When we’re tempted to worry about the future or about material things, we need to reorient ourselves to ask “How do I spend more time and effort to serve God or to build loving relationships with those around me?” Maybe that is something as simple as talking with a friend or neighbor in need.
 
Each of us can make a big difference in our own spiritual lives and the lives of others if we spend more time on our relationship with God and with those around us. Something that might help us is making a spiritual list of gratitude similar to the shopping lists that we create. This may remind us that in the endless list of wants that we have there are also many signs of God’s grace and provision in our lives.
 
Read Matthew 6:19-24 and let us know what you think. What are some ways we can live out the command from Jesus to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth?

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