JP36: THE TREASURE PRINCIPLE

The religious people of Jesus' day probably started with good intentions.  

They wanted to please God, but their growing desire for earthly treasures slowly diluted their love for Him and their neighbors.  

The weakening of their faith resulted in the addition of clever spiritual programs that exploited people instead of applying their resources and an abiding relationship with the Father for people’s good.

For example, the gospel writer Luke records how Jesus reacted when he found that religious leaders had programmed a way to collect money from the poor so they could participate in worship at the temple,

“Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he (Jesus) said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Mt 21:12–13, NIV)

What God meant for a house of prayer and devotion, they turned into a platform to deliver religious goods and services for profit.

Not only were those in authority robbing the poor of money, they were robbing generations of followers the opportunity to worship God through an abiding, prayerful relationship.  

As Jesus continues His Sermon on the Mount, we discover how people can shift their priorities so easily and how to get back on track.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:19–24)

What We See Is What We Get

Our spiritual eye can gather light or darkness into our fully integrated self (mind, body, and soul).   Jesus cautions that if the light we see through our spiritual eye comes from the wrong source, then the whole body comes to reflect that source to the darkening of our entire person.

Jesus guides us with two illustrations that remind his followers how to maintain focus on the right light source.

Assess Your Treasures

Jesus cautions His followers that the pursuit of wealth and possessions on earth comes with consequences.  He is not saying that wealth and possessions are bad.  The problem is the pursuit of material wealth in a way that displaces God from our lives - when we build our security on cars, care-free living, and cash.  

When this happens no room is left for faith as we substitute things we can't keep and won't last into eternity for God.

Storing up treasures in heaven starts with the object of our spiritual eye.  For example, when our spiritual eye sees the needs of our neighbors in Nicaragua or Nigeria, what we invest to meet their basic needs for food and shelter is imperishable.  

The difference we make in their lives brings a little heaven to earth now, and the impact extends into eternity.  We also find that when we treasure the needs of those in poverty that our hearts become full of light, shielded against greed for personal enrichment.

Choose Your Master

Clarifying our light source begins with choosing Jesus as our Lord, looking to Him for guidance and direction for our lives instead of earthly substitutes. We shift our spiritual eye away from darkness by focusing on the light that shines from the One who formed us to do good works that have been planned for us to do.  We receive His best when we pursue His best.

How has the Lord helped you keep your spiritual eyes focused? How could they be sharpened today?

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for this loving reminder that I can serve only one master.  Forgive me for the ways I have substituted things in the place where you belong.  Grant me the grace to treasure you above all and to see the world through spiritual eyes that bring the light of your kingdom to earth as it is in heaven.

The Treasure Principle: What We See Is What We Get

1. What We See Is What We Get

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness, how deep is that darkness! (Mt 6:22–23, CSB).

2. Assess Your Treasure

Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Mt 6:19–21, CSB).

3. Choose Your Master

No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Mt 6:24, CSB).

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