“For
where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”—Luke 12:34
Charlotte Brontë
mused about the human heart’s hidden treasures by writing, “The human heart has hidden
treasures, In secret kept, in silence sealed; The thoughts, the hopes, the
dreams, the pleasures, Whose charms were broken if revealed.” She is
saying that if the secrets of the hidden treasures of the heart are exposed
then the allure of the treasure would be broken. However, Jesus said in His Sermon on the
Mount that the real issue is: where my
heart is. He wants the hidden treasures of our hearts exposed so that we can evaluate
if our hearts are seeking after self or after a real vibrant relationship with
God (Matthew 6:19-24).
Sometimes people perceive us as being spiritual or
godly, when in reality, deep in our hearts we know that we have just put on a
mask. Because in our private life, we
struggle with fears, temptations, and desiring the things of the world for
man’s praise instead of glorifying God.
The treasures that we have sought have only brought physical or emotional
comfort rather than true spiritual happiness.
Jesus directly addresses the heart by asking the question, “Where is your treasure?” He says in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is there your heart
will be also.” There are a lot of
things competing for your heart, as
this is the control center for life.
Your life is a reflection of your
heart. “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of
life” (Proverbs 4:23). The heart is
like a water well and from if all the issues of life gush forth. Therefore, we must guard our hearts and watch over
them so that our heart follows hard after the things of God and is not
distracted by the things of this world.
The Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19:16-22 came to
ask Jesus a question. The question he asks is how he might have eternal life. Jesus answers the man by telling him that he
needs to obey the commandments, and the rich young ruler responds, “Which ones?” Jesus responds, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not
commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’
‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.’” The young ruler responds that he has kept all these things and
asks, “What do I still lack?” This is
where Jesus drops the bomb on the rich young ruler. He says, “Go, sell what you have and give to the
poor” and “follow Me.” Where was
this young man’s heart? You can tell
by his reaction. His heart is
controlled by his wealth and riches. This young ruler is wealthy and supposedly
has a lot going for him, but he is not willing to let those things go in order
to follow Jesus. He is willing to love his neighbor and do the commands that
pertain to his fellow man, but when it comes down to loving the Father and
having no other gods before Him, he is not willing to let go of the wealth he
obtained here on earth. His end result
was spiritual death. His heart was set upon the things of this earth, and he was
willing to disobey God for the sake of temporal riches that do not last. The
things we gather here on earth are only temporal; they do not last for
eternity.
Where is your treasure?
Are you earthly-minded or
heavenly-minded? Are you investing in
the future eternity to come, or are you investing in the here and now? Are you enthralled with the temporary versus
the permanent? Jesus used the three
examples of the moth, rust and thief in Matthew 6:19 -20 to show how the things
we deem most important are only temporary., “Do
not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and
where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and
steal.”
At the end of our life as believers, we will all
stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for our lives here
on the earth. Those believers who seek
to build up wealth and riches on earth will suffer loss and will be saved as
through fire, whereas those who strive to lay up treasures in heaven will
receive a reward.
So the question arises, “How do we lay up treasures in heaven?” The answer is by
living the way God has asked us to live and following after Him in all that we
do. For example, loving your neighbor as yourself – if a man has a need for a
shirt and you have extra, give him one – being a cheerful giver, honoring God
in your marriage, guarding your mind against adulterous thoughts, sharing the good
news of the gospel with those around you. There are so many things which all
narrow down to loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and
strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus always looks at the heart: “For
where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” One of the Ten
Commandments states: “You shall have no
other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). When we set our hearts on the things of this earth and fall to the temptation of
being worldly in our ways, we are committing
idolatry because we are no longer serving God. Rather, we have put our riches above God, and
we are serving them. They have become our god and our life. Jesus challenges us, to ask ourselves where
our treasure is. If your treasure is on earth and the things of
this world, your heart will be there
as well. If your heart is focused on
the Father and on laying up treasures
in heaven, your heart will be there.
“That their hearts may be encouraged, being
knit together in love and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of
understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and
of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”
(Colossians 2:3-4).
Prayer—Father I repent and ask You
to forgive me for not focusing on laying up treasures in heaven, and with Your
help from today forward my focus, my treasures will be upon You, in Jesus Name.
Amen.
