Matthew 6:19-21
You have read and heard that “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” I do believe and agree with that phrase. For those who decided to believe and accept Jesus, for sure, their hearts are all battlegrounds. There is a tug-of-war going on in the hearts of many believers, and no matter how hard they tried to control it, they failed. And one thing that gives us a hard time dealing with our hearts is that of money and possessions. We have a great deal of war.
Just look at the advertisements on the television and everywhere. The invitation is that if you only have enough money, you can have everything that this world has to offer. So if you don’t have, do something about it. Work hard so that your hard work will give you more money. And the more money you have, the more things and possession you’ll have. The world is telling us that if we could only have those things, it will characterize our lives with happiness and perfect contentment. For sure, this offer is tempting enough to pursue wealth and acquire possessions. When that is your treasure, there your heart will be as well.
But you know what? I analyzed and observed the situation of people in the past as well as the present time. It seems the proposition of the world is not real but the exact opposite. Why did I say that? Solomon, the wisest and richest man in the world in his time, concluded that even he has everything he ever wanted in the world, he ended up saying “all is vanity,” “Everything is futile under the sun.” Let us see what he had: 3w’s. Wisdom-God gave him wisdom that is exclusive for him only (that is because he asked for it explicitly). He was the only one who judged things with accuracy. Wealth-God gave him wealth, and he became the richest guy in town. Women – Solomon has 700 wives and 300 concubines. But these things took away his heart from the essential element in his life –and that is God!
Do you remember the rich young ruler who approached Jesus Christ? What prevented him from entering into the kingdom of heaven? Isn’t it the things he invested here on earth?
Jesus Christ issued a warning for all of us. If we are pre-occupied with acquiring wealth and possessions, Jesus is telling us that it won’t last. Both money and properties can be lost and stolen. They can be wasted and can be gone anytime.
On the other hand, Jesus encourages us to store up treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys. They can’t steal it because this is spiritual. You see, spiritual things last continually and never degenerate. Investments in heaven are the kind of venture Jesus was encouraging us to engage in, for the dividends are also eternal and only entitled to you – for sure.
So, what’s in your heart? What is it that you care a lot? Have you ever identified in your heart the things that will last forever, and those that won’t? These are questions worthy of reflection.
