Day 16

August 22

Don Simon

Matthew 6:21 NIV

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In this passage, Jesus is talking to the disciples about matters of the heart. He’s instructing them to connect their inward beliefs with their outward actions. In verses 19 through 21, He’s instructing them (and us) to place our highest value on the things that matter most, and He’s talking about more than just monetary things. He’s talking to us about anything we value that takes our time and attention.

The word treasure can either mean “a collection of valuable objects that has been hidden away”, or it describes the “actions we take regarding what we consider valuable”. When we treasure something, we deliberately care for it because it gives us pleasure and we consider it special. 

Caring for a treasure takes our time and attention. We return to it, admire it, watch over it, and protect it from damage. Most importantly, we think about it often because we imagine what this treasure will do for us now and in the future.

What does that mean for us today? Jesus is telling us not to spend our time and attention on things that only have value in this world. He wants us to spend our time and attention on things that have eternal value in His world.

What are some of the things that I will leave behind when I go to be with Him – my job, my possessions, my success, my hobbies, my pleasures, my friends, or my family? Compare these to what I will take with me to heaven – every moment I spend with Him, every act of service I do in His name, every verse of scripture I hide in my heart, every prayer I ever utter, every person I lead to Christ, and every moment of fellowship I spend with another believer. Think about it…what do we want to give our time and attention to?

We can have treasures that have incredible value in our future life with God in heaven. Anything that does not have value in His world might just be some junk in our lives we can leave behind.

Prayer: Lord, help us to value You more than anything else in this world. Change us on the inside and show us the incredible value of living for your Kingdom and loving what you love.

Amen.