The most important thing about investing money is not how much you invest, but where you invest it. Yesterday my father-in-law gave me sage advice, “Stocks are a fickle thing.”
Jesus makes a similar point in Matthew 6:19. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” It is as if Jesus was saying, “The stuff of this earth is a fickle thing.”
Treasure in this context is simply that which we store up for ourselves to make us feel safe, happy, and significant. The original Greek could literally translate as “Don’t store up for yourselves stockpiles of stuff on the earth.” This could include large savings accounts, large collections of shoes, cars, Legos, canned goods, etc… These are all good things. But Jesus warns that these stockpiles are fickle and liable to destruction at any moment. Rather than treasure these things, we should treasure knowing Jesus above all else. Set your affections on knowing Jesus, and your heart will begin to treasure Him above the fickle things of earth.
Jesus continues to explain in verse 21 that our affections will follow our stockpiles. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Stock up on more and more of Christ. Know Him more thoroughly. Walk in deepening obedience with the Father. Join the Apostle Paul who declared that the fickle investments on earth count as nothing compared to the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8)
At the risk of dating myself, I recommend to you a song written by Graham Kendrick called “Knowing You.”
Here are the lyrics:
All I once held dear, built my life upon
All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this
Knowing You, Jesus
Knowing You
There is no greater thing
You’re my all, You’re the best
You’re my joy, my righteousness
And I love You, Lord
Now my heart’s desire is to know You more
To be found in You and known as Yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All-surpassing gift of righteousness
Knowing You, Jesus
Knowing You
There is no greater thing
You’re my all, You’re the best
You’re my joy, my righteousness
And I love You, Lord
Oh, to know the power of Your risen life
And to know You in Your sufferings
To become like You in Your death, my Lord
So with You to live and never die
Knowing You, Jesus
Knowing You
There is no greater thing
You’re my all, You’re the best
You’re my joy, my righteousness
And I love You, Lord
