Articles
Is Your Treasure In Heaven?
I saw an advertisement this week, for an insurance company, that was more or less saying that we needed insurance for all of our toys that won’t fit in the garage....they had a shiny big boy truck with a lift kit and big tires, parked beside a big boat on one side and a motorcycle on the other, in front of two closed garage doors.
Now before I get called a hypocrite, let me point out that there is nothing wrong with having a pickup truck with big tires, or a boat, or a motorcycle. In fact, I’ve had them all at one time or another, less the big tires.
God tells us to live with generosity in our hearts, giving to Him and giving to others when we see a need, and if He blesses us with money to the point we own a boat or RV, then we need to use these to His glory as well. Being rich is not sinful, as long as we are rich toward God. We simply can’t let material things come between us and Him. But that’s where many people struggle or even lose sight. Their riches do divide them and God, and sometimes those riches don’t have to be very much.
In third world countries, it might be owning an automobile period, or just owning a motorcycle, more of a motor scooter usually. It might be even less “valuable” than that, and still take priority in someone’s life to the point that they had rather give up God than their riches. It doesn’t have to be valuable at all in fact, all it has to do is occupy that place in our heart that belongs to God, that’s it.
If a new set of golf clubs convinces us to start playing golf on Sundays instead of gathering with the saints for worship, it really doesn’t matter if we also have a shiny golf cart on a new trailer being pulled by our XYZ Edition extended cab limited edition truck that we can’t park in the garage because our jet skis, our sports car and our hunting ATV are in the way.
“Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely.
“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”
Matthew 19:16-18, 20-22 NLT
This man’s problem was not that he had riches, but that his riches had him. Where are you today? Does God fully occupy that place reserved for Him?
