Before I became a Christian I worked hard to store up my treasure in the forms of a big bank account and the accumulation of creature comforts. While a big bank account is not bad in and of itself, after I became a Christian, at age 28, I soon began to realize that the accumulation of money was not what I was put on earth to do. Randy Alcorn gives us the real reason why we should work hard when he shared: “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.”1
And the more I started to share my finances with my church, worthwhile Christian ministries, and people in need, the more satisfaction and joy I received. Little did I understand as a young Christian that the more I used my treasure to bless others, the more I got blessed. And while I may have been depleting my earthly bank account, I was actually storing up my treasure in my heavenly bank account.
The Scriptures give us very wise advice when they say: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21).
Again, Randy Alcorn provides insight here when he stated: “Many Christians dread the thought of leaving this world. Why? Because so many have stored up their treasures on earth, not in heaven. Each day brings us closer to death. If your treasures are on earth, that means each day brings you closer to losing your treasures.”2 How much better to store up our treasure in heaven where it can’t be lost and in fact is accruing amazing dividends!
For you see when we share our resources with others we are in effect helping to build up the kingdom of God. And when we do this we line up our hearts with heaven and receive a host of blessings now as well as in eternity. For example, when your heart is set on things above, God blesses you with great joy, and promises to supply all your needs here below. However, if you are working to accumulate treasure on earth, your heart will become consumed with self and not only will you forfeit the joy of pleasing the Lord, but you will become trapped into experiencing temporary fleeting comfort, and you will also forfeit the eternal blessings that a heart set on heaven can look forward to.
In closing, material blessings are nice but they are so temporary and they simply cannot compare with the joy we receive when we give from the heart of our time, talent, and yes, our treasure.
Curt. This is so true.
Most of my life I have been a true faithful tither (i.e., the first 10%) and even though I “only have 90%” I am find that I am so happy and full of joy, yet the times in my life that I have been convinced to “keep 100% because of such-and-such” are times that I was not happy.
One pastor that does marriage counseling for thousands once wrote….. every single person or couple that he ever counseled who tithed felt blessed and every single person or couple who he counseled that didn’t tithe felt miserable and argumentative.