BIG IDEA: Wherever you seek security might be your true master.
Our caring Savior asks: “Is your confidence anchored in stockpiles that decay and the illusion of a padded bank account, or in a Kingdom that can’t be shaken because it’s backed by an eternally gracious Father?” Whether the topic is prayer, giving, fasting or wise investing, Jesus says to guard our hearts against a search for security that turns possessions into objects we “serve” like a god. He used terms His audience could grasp in a culture which stashed valuables in barns, in jars of clay, and under homes: Earthly kingdoms promise security, but those investments are subject to theft and corruption. But to be clear, Jesus isn't suggesting we abandon this world or somehow transfer funds into God’s heavenly bank to garner His approval. Believers don't give to obtain security but because, in Christ, we’re already safe!
In verse 21, Jesus warns that what we treasure becomes our steering wheel: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. See the danger? When a created thing takes the wheel of our heart, it can steer us into ditches of compromise, anxiety and broken relationships (a.k.a. unrighteousness).
As the warm light of Christ’s coming kingdom fills us with a healthy perspective, we will feel more satisfied and secure. Our hearts will start to sincerely pray: “Father, all I have is yours, so how can your will can be done through my resources?”
In verse 24, Christ isn’t just barking old orders or laying down new laws like “be good and generous!” He is warning us, like a wise older sibling, about the danger of turning our Father’s creations into objects of worship that steal our allegiance and devotion. Our hearts trick us into thinking that stuff, status, and sway will supply the safety and worth only God can. His tough-to-swallow point is that stinginess, envy and hoarding are acts of idolatry, not just a lack of charity. Such behaviors are just the fruit, but divided devotion is the root!
