Jesus had just told the Parable of the Rich Fool, which compares earthly wealth versus eternal wealth. The rich fool had bought into the lie that the one who dies with the most wealth wins. The rich man did not have a posthumous win but a loss. Jesus summed up what genuine wealth is. Luke 12: 21 Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. [1]
I don’t believe earthly wealth is wrong, but we do need to steward our treasure in a way that honors God. One can be physically wealthy but spiritually poor. When we hoard our finances without tithing or giving compassionately, our focus is on us rather than on God. If we think we must base our security on our possessions rather than God’s provision, we lack a rich relationship with God.
When we have a rich relationship with God, we want to use our blessings to fulfill His priorities. We trust that our loving God will continue to provide for our welfare. This relationship fills us with a passion to obey God, serve Him, and give to others to build His Kingdom, not our own.
Indestructible Treasure
This wasn’t the only time Jesus compared earthly wealth versus eternal wealth. Matthew 6: 19 Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. [2]
We realize how quickly earthly treasure can disappear as we watch news reports of tornadoes and floods. Worldly wealth disappears in minutes in these disasters. It is temporary. But what are treasures in heaven or eternal wealth? These are acts of obedience to God. It can involve acts of kindness, stewarding our finances, or sharing the gospel with others to help build the Kingdom.
God sees all the acts we do and can store them eternally. No floods, tornadoes, or thieves can destroy these treasures. No earthly wealth goes to heaven. There are no U-Hauls behind the hearse. Only what we do for God out of our relationship with Him follows us to eternity.
The Desires of Our Heart
When we speak of the heart, we refer to the mind, will, and emotions. The desires of these three things focus our actions. The Rich Fool fixated on himself. Luke 12: 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” ’ [3]
What we treasure the most controls us. This isn’t limited to financial wealth but can include physical possessions, jobs, or family. Any of these things can become idols to draw us away from our relationship with God.
We must remember that it is God who blesses us with everything we have. We, in turn, are to use these blessings to bless others and for God’s Kingdom. This is a result of a rich relationship with God, which Jesus made possible for us by His work on the cross. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/the-consequences-of-not-following
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.