What is most important to you? Choose your treasures wisely. They are the chauffeurs of our hearts. They repeatedly drive us to our defining passions without a word from us.
Apart from the new birth, those passions are always for someone or something other than God. Socially acceptable things, perhaps, but not God-honoring.
Pleasure, possessions, and pride automatically drive the values, thoughts, conversations, and actions of the spiritually dead. “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions” (1 John 2:16 NLT).
Honestly, does 1 John 2:16 summarize what you value? Persistent thought patterns, conversation topics, and behaviors reveal what we treasure.
The pride in achievements phrase in 1 John 2:16 best describes where my treasures were. I thought others would love and respect me if my accomplishments were sufficiently impressive. There was also more than a little pride involved. That was stinking thinking. It was living to please others instead of God.
The new birth by God’s grace through faith and the resulting spiritual life didn’t automatically, instantly change that. I didn’t switch from storing treasures on Earth to storing them in Heaven the day after I became a Christian. I doubt you did either.
A change in what we treasure gradually emerges as God’s word renews our minds (Romans 12:2). Our values change as we mature spiritually. We become wiser.
We see more clearly the foolishness of investing in the unpredictable here and now instead of the eternal. Jesus spells it out in Matthew 6:19–21 NLT.
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:19–21 NLT).
The treasures we store up on earth need no explanation. We are naturally experts in promoting the unholy and relatively unimportant as the main things in our lives. There are as many ways to do that as there are people.
What people are remembered for in their obituaries shows what they value in life. It is usually something other than following God’s will and ways.
So, what are these treasures we store in Heaven? They are the good deeds He planned for us to do wholeheartedly for His glory (Ephesians 2:10, Colossians 3: 23–24, 1 Corinthians 10:31). To do them we seek first His Kingdom and righteousness by committing our time, energy, talents, treasures, and spiritual gifts to make more and better disciples of Jesus (Matthew 6:33, Matthew 28:18–20), minister to the needy (Acts 2:45), and to other believers (Matthew 10:42).
Your treasures matter a lot. They are the chauffeurs of your heart for the remainder of your earthly journey and determine your eternal rewards. See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.
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