our treasure

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. -Matthew 6:19-21

I’ve been reading and rereading the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and I’ve been thinking about our treasure. In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus addresses doing ‘acts of righteousness’ like giving to the poor, praying, and fasting and says that if we are doing those things “before men, to be seen by them” then we will receive our reward in full (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16). What reward will we receive for doing our good deeds for man’s approval? Human praise. How will our reward be in full? We will receive all of our reward for our so-called ‘acts of righteousness’ here on earth, and will not be rewarded for them in heaven.

Man may praise and applaud  us for our good deeds, but without the right heart our deeds our pointless to God because they are not glorifying Him, they are only glorifying to ourselves – temporarily. Without the right heart, our acts are useless. God doesn’t want good deeds just for the deeds – He wants our deeds to be an overflow of our heart for Him. So, when we do our ‘acts of righteousness’ for man’s approval and praise rather than God’s, we are rewarded, but only by man. And that is only temporary.

So, where our treasure is, there our heart is also. If we are doing ‘acts of righteousness’ for men rather than God, our heart is in the wrong place – on earth, seeking earthly rewards and treasures. But our earthly treasures are only temporary. However, heavenly treasures are lasting. When we have the right heart, we might be rewarded on earth, but we can also look forward to receiving our reward in heaven. And that reward will be far better than all earthly rewards combined. So, “set your hearts on things above” (Colossians 3:2).