The things you spend money in determine the person you become. Where your treasure is today, your heart will go tomorrow.
One day when I was a teenager, I was driving through a neighborhood and noticed a water bottle had fallen from the passenger seat to the floorboard beside me. So I tried reach over and grab it. But when I looked over to pick it up, my arm followed my head and unconsciously pulled the steering wheel in the direction I was looking. Before I knew it, I had crashed into a parked car.
Whether you’re driving a car, riding a bike or just walking, the way you point your head affects the direction your whole body travels. There’s a similar principle at work in our spiritual lives, too, and it hinges on our money.
Check out what Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21 –
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.
Jesus says some unexpected things about money here. We’re going to impact them to learn about how your entire life is impacted by where your treasure is.
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Now, back to the topic at hand:
I want to focus on three surprising truths in this passage from Matthew 6 that will help you better understand the relationship between your money and your heart. Let’s take them one at a time.
1) God wants you to invest in eternity.
God gives you money to provide for your family. But He also wants you to store up treasure in heaven. That means investing your money in things beyond your own needs to make a difference in eternity.
2) Your money’s direction determines your heart’s affection.
Notice the grammar in what Jesus says: Where your treasure is — present tense — there your heart will be — future tense. Just like the things you do with your head affect the direction you travel, the things you do with money affect the person you will become. So it’s important to direct your money to worthwhile places.
3) God doesn’t need your money, but He wants your heart.
God owns everything in the world, and He doesn’t depend on your generosity to accomplish anything. But as you follow Him, He asks you to invest some of your resources in the things He’s doing. Why? Because He wants you engage your heart to the things that are close to His.
Your journey to financial freedom will impact every part of your life. As you walk this road, you’ll discover that the destination looks different than you thought it would. Because freedom isn’t just about living a good life — it’s about investing your life in the things that matter most.
