WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." -- Matthew 6:19-21

People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Tim. 6:9-10). The worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful (Mark 4:19).

"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." -- Luke 12:20-21

A man's riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat (Prv. 13:8). Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Tim. 6:17). A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished (Prv. 28:20).

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. -- Luke 12:33

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty (Prv. 11:24). Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth (Dt. 8:18).

One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth (Prv. 13:7). Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything (2 Cor. 6:10).

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him ( James 2:5)? God bestows wealth on those who love Him and make their treasuries full (Prv. 8:21). He shows no partiality and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands (Job 34:19).

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint (Prv. 23:4). Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).

The LORD can give you much more than that (2 Chr 25:9). The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it (Prv. 10:2). The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity (Dt. 28:11). The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy (Gn. 26:13).

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Prv. 3:5).

Treasure can make your heart proud

By your wisdom and your understanding you have gotten wealth for yourself, 

and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;

By your great wisdom in trade you have increased your wealth, 

and your heart has become proud in your wealth --

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 

"Because you consider yourself as wise as a god,
behold, I will bring strangers upon you, the most terrible of the nations; 

and they shall draw their swords against
the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor. 

They shall thrust you down into the Pit,
and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas.

Will you still say, `I am a god,' in the presence of those who slay you, 

though you are but a man, and no god, in the hands of those who wound you?

You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners; 

for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD."

A heart that is proud out of his own achievements in life can lead to self-righteousness and self-centeredness. A lot of successful entrepreneurs nowadays possess such character.

I became a President and Chief Executive Officer of a Corporation based in Ayala, Makati at a very young age. I was single then and can consider myself as one of the "most sought bachelors". I wore the finest suits at work and got used to people looking up on me. I was so proud of myself not knowing that I am already acting as if I am a god most especially to my subordinates.

At one dinner date with a former high school batch mate, I remember uttering these words, "the life and faith of those who depend on me are in the palm of my hands."

Instead of being admired, she told me, "you are still a human like anyone of us and what you are today does not make you a god."

At this instance, I remembered the life of Aristotle Onassis, a prominent shipping magnate who before the end of his life realized that he is not a god but a human being just like any other.

One thing is a fact, we came naked in this world and we will also leave the world naked. We can not bring our material treasures to the after life. This is why the Lord tells us that we should focus more on treasures that lasts.

God has given us the gift of wisdom and understanding on how we should view our treasures. As the Lord said in Luke 12:34,

"For where your treasure is, 

there your heart will be also." 

Reading: Ezekiel 28: 4 - 10
Reflection: Author