“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 (NIV)
Jesus is saying, “Your heart follows your money.” If you want to move your heart, move your money, and your heart will follow. Here are two illustrations:
First is the story of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus because he wanted to know how to have eternal life. Jesus knew the man’s fundamental problem was that money had mastered his heart, so He said to him, “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor…Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21). But the man wouldn’t move his money, so he couldn’t change his heart, and he went away sorrowful.
Second is the story of Zacchaeus, who had been mastered by money for years, and he’d gained it with some shady dealing. Then Jesus came to town and Zacchaeus’s curiosity was aroused. He climbed a tree to watch as Jesus was coming by. Jesus stopped right under the tree, and called him down, “Zacchaeus…I must stay at your house today.”
Christ came into his home, and something happened in this man’s soul. He said to Jesus, “Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (Luke 19:8).
Then Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house.” Zacchaeus’s heart was set on wealth so the only way to move his heart was to move his money. When Jesus heard how Zacchaeus responded, He knew there had been a profound change in his heart.
You cannot separate heart from treasure. If Christ doesn’t get your treasure, He doesn’t get your heart.
What is your response to this principle: “Your heart follows your money.”?
