Matthew 6:19-21
Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)
This quote from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, is teaching us about wealth and money. It is a lesson that is more relevant today than during the days of Jesus and Matthew. While it is wise to set aside money especially for emergencies and old age, how much is enough. A recent Google search showed that the US alone has about 800 billionaires. How much is one billion dollars? To place it in perspective, one would have to spend over 2.7 million dollars per day to spend one billion dollars in a year. Wow. It is certainly true that many of those billionaires use their money to help the needy and invest in very worthwhile activities. But Jesus warns us that “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” The accumulation of wealth can become addictive. If wealth accumulation is the focus of one’s life, other things such as our concern with our spiritual life can easily become secondary if they exist at all.
Many people, including billionaires, take Jesus’ teaching very seriously. They keep a reserve for emergencies but help others. They support many worthwhile causes including Southwood. During “Give to Lincoln Day” in 2024 over $8.5 million was given by over 25,000 donations from our community to 463 organizations. These organizations ranged from those that help needy people to those that help the environment.
Some of our treasures are our time and talent. It is amazing to see what many do with their resources. It can be a challenge for us. But remember that our treasures are not just measured in dollars, but also by what we can do with that time and talent. Southwood and many other organizations have dozens of opportunities to help others. One just needs to ask, ‘how can I help?’
Questions for Reflection:
- How do you use your “treasures?” Do you share with others?
- How do you share your time? Do you help others directly or through our church and community organizations?
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, please, help me follow your teachings. I know that it is easy to get wrapped up in myself and the wealth accumulation game. I pray for your help to use my personal time and wealth to improve your creations here on earth. Amen
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