The True Treasure
By George Stroh
December 6, 2010
"Do not 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 do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
The Bible has much to say to us about money, investing and wealth. In His sermon on the mount, the Lord Jesus Christ taught some basic stewardship principles to guide us, whether our earthly wealth (treasure) is great or small.
The Bible teaches us to put our trust and hope in God alone rather than in our earthly treasures; "If I have put my confidence in gold, And called fine gold my trust, If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured so much... That too would have been iniquity calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above" (Job 31:24,25,28). Accumulated wealth or treasures on earth are temporal and should not be trusted to provide lasting security. They can be quickly lost and we can't take them with us when we die; "Thus I hated all the fruit (accumulated wealth) of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool?" (Ecclesiastes 2:18-19). King Solomon was, in relative terms, the wealthiest man of all time. Yet his evaluation when it was all said and done was that it is all "vanity and striving after the wind and there was no profit under the sun".
Jesus said "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven." These are investments of heavenly "treasures" of faith in God and obedience to Him that have lasting value. Furthermore, earthly treasures have a way of enslaving it's owner. It demands more and more of our time, energy and attention. Jesus made it clear that "you cannot serve God and wealth".
The Lord wants us to be wise money managers and good stewards of all that He gives to us. Those of us who have been entrusted with much have a greater responsibility to be good stewards. But whether you have a little or a lot of earthly treasure, remember and heed the instructions of the One who owns it all:
"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin. Yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles (unbelievers) eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:25-34).
Where is your treasure? Where is your heart? Invest wisely. "...for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". Maranatha!
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