Where Do You Keep Your Money?
“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
We all know that professional athletes get paid a lot of money. Occasionally, we get a glimpse into their personal life and are blown away by their earthly possessions.
From having multiple houses to full-scale sports fields in their backyard, it is an impressive amount of accumulated wealth. There is nothing wrong with getting paid a lot of money, but we must look deeper to see the heart behind the riches. If these athletes are constantly pursuing more earthly possessions and never seem content, then it might be safe to say that they rely on their earthly riches for internal satisfaction.
Jesus tells us that we can store up riches in two places: here on earth and in heaven. What does it mean to store up riches in Heaven?
It means investing in the works of God’s Kingdom and using your earthly resources to help God’s people. It can mean tithing at your church, supporting local missionaries, buying someone experiencing homelessness a meal, or giving your time and energy to serve God’s people. These things will not be destroyed by time and can't be stolen from your home or sold for profit.
We are also reminded that where we decide to store our treasures is where our hearts will be stored. So, if we constantly pursue riches here on earth, we are tying our hearts to things that will fade, break and lose value. If we invest our time and energy in the Kingdom of God, our hearts and minds will be focused on things far more sustainable than the riches money can provide.
When we establish our riches in Heaven, we plant a foundation that no earthly trouble can shake. When financial trouble comes our way, we can hold firm that we have a God who provides for us far beyond the security that money can provide.
- Do you struggle with giving up control of earthly riches?
- How do you think God plays a part in our daily use of money?
- Why is it important to give up our resources as Christians?
“Lord, You are our provider. We have nothing in this world without You. Remind us that everything on earth that distracts us from your Kingdom will not last forever. Convict us if we spend too much time and money on things that don’t matter; show us where You would like us to invest our time and money. Amen.”
