May 18

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” —MATTHEW 6:20

The features that characterize heavenly treasures are the exact opposite of earthly treasures. Instead of temporary and troublesome, they are permanent and peaceful.

To store up treasure in heaven is to live on earth with heaven in mind. The issues which govern our values, goals and behaviours should not be confined to this life only, and played out ‘before men’. They should have eternal issues at heart, and be played out before God. The very same possessions, bank balances, occupations, living standards can either be storing up treasure in heaven or on earth. It is not the substance of our possessions that is the issue, but the audience before whom we live. Whether we realize it or not, to play on the material stage is to derive our satisfaction from what we represent before people, but to lay up treasure in heaven is to derive satisfaction from pleasing God. 

Materialism does not relate to how much we actually possess, but our attitude towards what we possess. True spirituality does not relate to our profile in the Christian community, but to our disposition towards God, which is most true in secret. It is there we invest in things money cannot buy and which death cannot destroy. Everything that we lose when we die should be given appropriate status now, and that which holds its currency beyond death is what we should invest in now.

Jesus also speaks about provision for food and clothing. “Do not worry about them,” He says. We are obligated to earn our own keep, but when our goal is God’s interests and God’s agenda, they hold a different status. They serve us, not master us, and the key Jesus says is to, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). 

Concerning death, Jesus asks, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (6:27). For those whose treasure is on earth, death is the ultimate threat for it ends everything, but when laying up treasure in heaven, death presents no fear, for it cannot touch what is most important. We may live with confidence in the fact that not only does God control our death, but it is the gateway where “the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53). Once we have settled the issues of storing up our real treasure in heaven, our vision is good, and our master is God, there are no other key issues to face. 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to invest all I can into heavenly treasure, and to live for your agenda. Thank You, Lord. 

TO REFLECT UPON: Am I living a ‘worry-free’ life, secure in God?