Matthew 6:19-24
Key Verse: “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 CSB)
In September 1929, the stock markets crashed causing American investors to lose billions of dollars in a single day. It also sparked the Great Depression, a period of more than a decade that was marked by huge unemployment and a reduction of wages. Looking back, it is a reminder of how quickly things can change overnight, particularly when it comes to money.
The Bible has a lot to say about how we should approach money and all of the resources that have been entrusted to us by God. To be clear, there is nothing in the Scriptures to suggest that there is anything wrong with having money or with saving or investing it. But Jesus does tell us to choose very carefully the things that we deem valuable or important in this life.
In the words of Jesus, one of your choices is to “store up for yourselves treasures on earth.” This is the focus of most people in our world today. They are all about gaining more power, higher position, greater prestige, and an abundance of possessions. Jesus warns us that this should not be what we are striving after.
To help us understand why, Jesus points us to three brief illustrations – a moth, rust, and a thief. Though the moth is a tiny little creature, it is notorious for its ability to eat through clothing. If you put a moth in the same room with your favorite sweater, before long it will just be the moth left standing. Similarly, rust can destroy even the nicest of cars. If you own a car, eventually it’s going to end up in the junkyard. Hopefully, you’ll never have to experience the third illustration, a thief who breaks in and steals the things that belong to you.
The point that Jesus is making is that all the things on which the world places value are temporary and fleeting. They are here one day, but can easily be gone the next. Therefore, it is futile and foolish to make the theme the primary pursuit of our lives.
Instead, you ought to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” These are the things that God deems important. These are the treasures that will matter no only in this life, but more importantly for all eternity. They are what will truly last.
So what does that look like? To store up for yourselves treasures in heaven includes pursuing a deep relationship with Jesus, prioritizing godly character, generously serving the poor and helpless among you, and spending your time and resources to see more and more people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. These are just some of the things that are going to truly matter in eternity.
What are you storing up for yourselves right now, treasures in heaven or treasures on earth? What is your primary focus? Choose carefully. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (v.21).
Prayer: Jesus, guard my heart against the foolishness of greed and covetousness. I know that all of the “treasures” of this life are only temporary. Instead, help me to pursue heavenly treasures. Show me how I can invest my life today in the things that will last for all eternity. Amen.
