This teaching from Jesus appears twice in the Gospels, once in Matthew and once in Luke. I think it's common enough that even most non-Bible readers have heard it, and it's a maxim on which I thought I had a pretty good grasp. One's checkbook reveals one's priorities: whatever I put my money towards reveals what I care about. It's pretty simple. A recent sermon I listened to from John Piper has opened up my thinking a bit further on this, though.
Piper used the word "follow" in talking about this text - wherever your treasure is, your heart will follow. It may or may not be with what you spend your money on; however, it soon will be after spending that money. I see examples of this throughout my life. Every time I spend money on a vehicle, I spend time and energy caring for it and worrying about it. When I started putting money into my lawn for fertilizer, weed killer, etc., I went from someone ambivalent at best about my yard to a lawn nazi. I never really cared much for the fluctuations in the stock market until I started contributing regularly towards a retirement account; now I follow those fluctuations, reading articles and listening to advice and trying to time investments properly. Whatever in my life I've decided is worthy of throwing money at, whether I felt strongly about it initially or not, my heart followed quickly and it became a priority.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just is. It has actually been quite good for me as well. I didn't care much about the plight of those in poverty in Central America until Emily and I started sponsoring Compassion children in the region. Now my heart is there. Turkey was just another country that my geographically-impaired mind couldn't find on a map until a friend from church became a missionary there, and we financially supported him and his family. Emily and I went to a fundraiser last night for her workplace, North Iowa Vocational Center, which provides job training for people with disabilities. I'm sure that those who generously donated last night also gave a piece of their attention, if not their heart, to the organization's success and that of the clients that they serve.
The lesson here, for me and for you, is clear. Be careful where you spend your money - you are designating the future destination of your heart. And if you don't like where your heart is now, put your treasure towards where you would like it to be in the future.
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