Your Greatest Treasure: Devotions From Time Of GraceSample

Money magnet

At first glance, Jesus got it backward: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Wouldn’t it be better to say that where your heart is (your passions, your causes, etc.), your treasure (your money, donations, etc.) will be also? Perhaps, but that’s not Jesus’ point. His point is, as a fellow pastor once said, your money is a “heart magnet.” Spend money there, and your heart will suddenly care.

You’ve experienced this. You put five bucks into the office March Madness pool and picked North Carolina to win it all. Even if you couldn’t name a single player from UNC, you start to care about their scores. Or think of the stock market. When you’re 12, you couldn’t care less about the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones. But put a lifetime of investments into the market and the about-to-retire couple has strong emotions connected to this year’s dips and gains. Why? Because money is a magnet for your heart. 

But Jesus’ words aren’t just a warning about foolish spending. They are an opportunity to increase our passion for the things of God. When we invest in Jesus-exalting ministries and God-approved causes like the poor in our communities, our hearts start to care. We care about the things of God, the things that last, the things that cause Jesus to get excited.

No, money can’t buy you a place in heaven. But it can get you passionate about the things of heaven. So, spend wisely. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.