Treasures in Heaven

https://odb.org/MY/2022/03/04/two-small-boxes-2

The teachings of Jesus in Matthew 6:19-20 on storing up treasures in heaven is probably one of the more well known verses in the bible and concept in the faith that most of us have probably heard of as a Christian. Instead of gathering riches on earth, Jesus teaches us to store up treasures in heaven.

But how do we actually do that? We could buy a gold chain and keep or invest in shares or bitcoin or have fixed deposits or buy land and houses or basically have a credit balance in our bank account. These are all earthly riches and treasures that we can see and feel, that are tangible and the truth is – much easier to pursue, keep and store.

Treasures in heaven is a totally different creature altogether. We can’t send our gold chain to heaven and neither are there investment schemes or bank accounts that we can credit to here on earth for heaven. Or is there? Or can we actually do that? So I think what bible commentator Craig Bloomberg said is very interesting. Treasures in heaven means spiritual wealth and that means the compassionate use of material resources to meet others’ physical and spiritual needs. Isn’t that such a wonderful interpretation of the concept of storing up riches in heaven?

If we read Matthew 9 carefully, we will see that Jesus in teaching the storing up of treasures in heaven contrasts it with storing up treasures on earth that moth and rust can corrupt and thieves can break in and steal. He speaks about what motivates our hearts and what we serve, whether God or money (mammon).

My cell group member once asked me this question and my answer was that it means doing the things God asked us to do, doing good for others, serving God – these are all the things that will store up our treasures in heaven. But today I will add, use the material resources that we have to help the physical and spiritual needs of others. It doesn’t mean that we do not pursue material resources at all as such resources help us to live and make the world go around (makes human activity possible). But whatever we have, whatever we have gathered and stored; be generous about it, be willing and compassionate to share and help others with it. In the end, it doesn’t matter if we leave this world with only two small boxes of earthly possessions but what matters is have we stored up a room full of treasures in heaven from the many that we have blessed by the generous giving of our money, service and life while we were still alive?