"Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, and not on earth!" Jesus taught this as part of the Beatitudes (Matthew 6:19-20) and also part of the answer He gave the rich young man who asked Him how he can inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:21). When the young man heard this, he left sadly because Matthew 19:22 said he owned much property.
Does this mean that it is wrong to accumulate wealth while we are here on earth? If this is so, then why did God give us the power to make wealth, according to Deuteronomy 8:18? And why did Jesus say in John 10:10 that He came to give us abundance? Does God, as Father, delight in seeing His children remain poor, while the rest of the world flourishes and enjoys the earth He created. This idea does not make sense, diba?
To appreciate the principle Jesus was teaching, I believe we need to understand what the word treasure means and know where heaven is.
First, what does treasure mean? I am learning that wealth is something you use and grow, while treasure is something you store and keep. Treasures are often the source of a person's security and pride, so if they are here on earth, they will make that person less dependent on the Lord. While treasures may come from the wealth you accumulate, if you store and keep them, you lose the power to use them. God gave us the ability to make wealth because He does not want us to be in need. Jesus wants us to have an abundance so that we can extend the blessings of Abraham to the world, as Genesis 12:3 said, "And in you, all the families of the earth will be blessed."
Second, let us answer the question "where is heaven"? Is heaven a place we are going to when we die? Yes, it is, but heaven is also where you find the kingdom of God. Do you know what Jesus said about this kingdom? Mark 1:15 "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." John the Baptist said the same thing in Matthew 3:2 and Jesus confirmed it in Matthew 4:17 as well. Luke 17:21 even said, "For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst."
It is not wrong to have wealth on earth, but we have to remember that everything we have is the Lord's. We are just His caretakers. When we store treasures on earth, it means we are claiming ownership of what belongs to Him. Do you know that this was the root of the sin of Adam and the reason why the rich young man turned his back on Jesus? Ako, I do not wish to have any treasure here on earth, nor in heaven, all I want is to be with the Lord, because I know when I am with Him I will never be in need but will have abundance instead.
