Articles
Matter of the Heart
Have you ever heard the old saying, ”He who dies with the most toys wins?” Actually, that saying is not true at all. He who dies with the most toys still dies and leaves it all behind. When we think of our treasures in heaven we need to think of treasures that will never fade away and will last for an eternity. As we build our treasures in heaven by using what God has entrusted us with while we are here on earth, we build up something that we can never lose. Missionary Jim Elliott said, “He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Does this accurately represent the way that we view our belongings and finances? We can find ourselves putting our trust in the things of this world and living for material things. Instead, we need to find ourselves living for the eternal, those things which we can gain and cannot lose. Those treasures in heaven which are stored up for us. This is easily understandable when we know where our home is, not the address where we live but the eternal destination that we all desire to achieve. Our true home is in heaven. Think of it like this: our home is a place that we long for but a place we have never been.
All throughout the Old Testament God asked his people to give a tenth of everything to Him. That meant everything from vegetables, animals, and finances. The people knew that if they were obedient to what God had called them to then he would be faithful and bless them. It was a very reciprocal relationship between God and Israel. In Leviticus 27:30 God told His Old Covenant children: “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD”. It was through their giving, not just of their finances but of all they had, that they were able to see God. As they gave, they saw Him bless them in return. Giving to God is not about money, it is a matter of the heart.
