Nov 19 - Matthew 6:21

Jesus said,

For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:21

What do you spend your money on? What does your treasure prioritize?

Do you prioritize a big house? Here’s a funny thing that Mary Louise and I are learning: Kids eventually move out of those houses that were bigger for a larger-family season. How big of a house do you really need now? Now think about it ... according to Jesus, what does this say about your heart?

Do you prioritize the cars you drive? Yesterday, I talked about the deceptive lure of "the new car smell." It wears off. But then what? Does that create a new craving within you? Indeed, what does Jesus say this says about your heart?

Do you prioritize big TVs, expensive cable packages, fast gaming computers, $10 movie tickets, luxurious vacations, etc.? Indeed, what does our culture's constant need to be entertained say about where our hearts may be?

Let me ask you a few (hard) questions:

·       How much do you spend on name brands? What might this say about your heart?

·       How much do you spend on eating out each month? What does this say about your busyness, the expense of convenience, and perhaps the priorities of your heart?

·       Are there any hobbies or addictions (or anything else good or bad) that is eating up your budget? What might this say about the priorities of your heart?

·       How much (credit card) debt are you racking up? What does this say about wisdom and priority?

·       How much do you put into savings? What might this say about your heart?

·       How much do you give to church and other charitable endeavors? What might this say about your heart?

Don't get me wrong. God (nor I) want to be a killjoy. Scripture never talks about money as a bad thing! (It’s not money, but the love of money, that’s the root of all kinds of evil – 1 Timothy 6:10.) We can have fun in life! We hopefully have hobbies. Vacations can be a memory-making blessing. But we must live wisely within our means … and not be envious of what others have.

And most of all we must constantly realize that how we spend our money reveals our true priorities. Are we a) self-focused, b) generous, c) kingdom-focused, d) wise, and/or e) undisciplined?

As Jesus says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

In Christ's Love,

a guy who must need a bypass

(my heart often needs a

spiritual tune-up)