LEARNING DAILY

 

Matthew 6:19-21, “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 treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Jesus

 

This last verse is a verse I have been thinking about lately. It basically tells us that each of us has two choices every day – we can please God, or we can do what pleases our self. The notes in the David Jeremiah Study Bible states, “In NT times, treasures were not always stockpiles of coins. Since wealthy garments often represented a person’s holdings, Jesus spoke quite literally when He warned the people that moths could destroy their worldly wealth. It is better to place one’s hope in the Person and promises of God than in anything this world has to offer.” Jesus was telling those listening, and us today, to seek that which is best!

 

Treasure today is anything someone highly values. Treasures can be prized and valuable. Jesus was giving warning to us that a day will come when treasures lose their value, so it is not a good idea to place anything of value where it is likely to be ruined or even lost. Has anyone lost money in the retirement funds or money invested in the stock market in the last year? Or, you must have heard of the bank failure in the Silicon Valley; there were long lines outside where people were waiting to withdraw their money. What will become of this situation will need to be watched. Can you understand Jesus’ statement?

 

The “stuff” we work so hard to protect and keep on earth will end up poorly! Jesus guarantees it. Read the verses again. Moth and rust will destroy the value of what we treasure. Thieves will break in and steal what we have. We have more and more thieves breaking into our homes and vehicles, thieves stealing packages delivered, our identities being stolen, and cybercriminals hacking into steal what they can. Nations fall and with that happening, our treasures fall as well.

 

Instead, we are to focus on “laying up treasures in heaven”. What does that mean? Dr. Ed Newton tells us to, “love God, love people”. When we love God and love people like He loves us, we invest in them. Our worth and value is in Christ alone; He is our priority. Our treasures are stored in heaven where no moth, no rust, no thieves destroy the values of our treasures.

 

Why is this so important? The answer lies in the fact that our heart follows what we treasure. Building treasure on earth can corrupt our values because we allow our “stuff” to control or own us. They become the focus of our thoughts, trying not to lose what we have. Our decision-making will certainly be influenced and probably compromised by these treasures. We will suffer loss and be like the person whose work and treasure are burned and lost by judgment (read 1 Corinthians 3:15). But the one who “lays up treasure in heaven” will keep their treasure and will receive reward for what they have done after their work and treasure is burned (read 1 Corinthians 3:14).

 

All of us should take a moment to evaluate where our heart is. If we find it is in the wrong place, it would be good to take Jesus’ warning seriously and place our treasures into His kingdom. Randy Alcorn has said, “God not only cares about what we choose to give, but what we choose to keep.”

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.