Treasures in Heaven

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

– Matthew 6:24

What’s the best way to invest your money these days?

While a quick Google search renders a remarkable 452 million results, finance gurus are recommending everything from precious metals to stocks and bonds to Bitcoin. Perhaps considering the dire economic uncertainty that hangs over America (and the world, for that matter), it’s no surprise that it’s a question in need of an answer. 

If you're a Christ-follower, you've accepted God's offer to meet all your needs in every area of your life. That covers deeply intimate issues involving significance, happiness, value, and self-worth — and of course, money and possessions. Unfortunately, too many of us depend on the size of our bank accounts, 401ks and stock portfolios for security. We struggle for years to build a nest egg. But even when we make it to the top by the world's standards, our financial victory turns out to be a worthless idol once we leave this life.

The essence of being a Christ-follower is accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. So rather than following the world's wisdom about life, relationships, possessions, and money, Christ-followers see these things in a very different light. That's because our minds begin to transform as soon as we follow Jesus in earnest. What once seemed so valuable and desirable loses its luster and fades into oblivion. The world's silver and gold begin to rust.

So, how’s the best way to invest our money, time ... and stuff?

It's a question with eternal implications. After all, what we do with our God-given resources is an ongoing test of how we put the True Master first in our lives. Christ-followers are called to recognize that ultimately, everything belongs to God. We're simply caretakers while we're here on earth. And no matter the size of our bank accounts, we can't take even a dime with us. We must therefore ask ourselves if we're spending our money on the world's definition of success — or investing it toward his kingdom, where it will make an eternal difference.  

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal,” Jesus advises us through Matthew’s gospel. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”