Lessons from Matthew 6: Heavenly Wealth
In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus taught Christians not to weigh and measure wealth as the world does. In fact, Jesus said don’t lay up for yourself the same treasures as the world and its people around you do, for these things are temporary!
Instead, focus on giving yourself and your resources to those things that will last into eternity.
Now this scripture does not say that we are to live lives of poverty or that we are not to invest in temporal things like a home or a car or other such things. No, we do need to live.
But what Jesus is saying is don’t invest all your time and resources in these things. To do so is to invest in that which will one day fade away, or be lost or stolen. We should focus our heart and mind and hands on people and their spiritual gain!
Sometimes this might mean setting aside our own freedom or time in order to mentor or help shape another life for the kingdom of heaven. It might be the giving of our finances to help support a missionary or the less fortunate. It means keeping our eyes on the future, the eternal future, not the here and now!
Secondly, Jesus taught that spiritual vision is our capacity to see clearly what God wants us to do and to see the world from His point of view. But Jesus warned that this spiritual eyesight can be easily clouded by fulfilling self-serving desires, interests, and goals. And serving God is the best way to restore it!
A good eye is one that is focused on God.
Jesus said no one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). (Could you imagine running two households?) Jesus said to do so would cause us to hate one and love the other, to be devoted to one and despise the other. He said it is impossible to serve both God and this world. So we must be careful not to fall into the materialistic trap. In it, the scriptures teach us, is a root of all kinds of evil. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also!
A Christian’s treasure is found in God and His eternal rewards, not in the riches of this world!
What and where is your real treasure? Can you honestly say that God and not this world is your master? What are your thoughts, time, money, and aims focused on? A person? A thing?
Just look at your checkbook, and where you spend most of your time, and you will have your answer! This, then, is your master!
Where is it that you need to ask God to change your focus?
Terri Hamman
Faith & Fitness Coach