Treasure in heaven
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21
The Bible often confronts us with the question: “Where is your treasure?” It’s a crucial question because the answer to it will determine the way in which we live. Clearly some people store up treasure here on earth, but Jesus points out the absurdity of doing so because earthly treasure cannot last. In the ancient world clothing was an important sign of a person’s wealth to a far greater extent than it is today. Moths were therefore much feared; Jesus points out that our clothing is always at risk of being destroyed. Jesus’ reference to rust is much less clear. The word he used normally refers to eating away and probably refers to the way in which rats, mice and worms could munch their way through a person’s store of grain.
At the time that Jesus lived, most house walls were made of hardened mud. Thieves therefore had a reasonably easy task to dig through a wall and carry off an owner’s valuables. The point that Jesus was making was absolutely clear. However carefully you might look after your possessions, they are under continual threat. It would therefore be foolish to store up wealth here on earth. Our security measures these days might be more impressive than the ones that existed in Jesus’ time, but the principle holds good. The wise person will focus their life on storing up treasure in heaven.
This teaching is particularly appropriate in our materialistic society. We are continually encouraged to see money and possessions as the measure of success and happiness. John Henry Jowett, a famous preacher at the start of the 20th century, wisely said: “The real measure of our wealth is how much we’d be worth if we lost all our money.”
QUESTION
Where are you intentionally storing up treasures, and what would your life be like if you lost all your money?
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, help me to focus my energies on storing up treasure in heaven. Amen