#DailyDevotion Where Are Your Treasures?

Lent day 4

Matthew 6:1–6, 16–21

[1[Jesus said:] “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

 

I think there are a couple of real important distinctions here that people often miss, particularly say on Ash Wednesday. The first is “practicing your righteousness.” These are things you do either by the command of God or personal piety. Of the list of things Jesus list in this lesson fasting is the only one not commanded by God (there are only a couple of mandatory fast days in the Mosaic law; Jesus is not referring to these here). We are commanded to pray and we are commanded to be generous to the poor. But how often and how much in the manner of how often, when, where etc. well that is generally up to us (not counting the tithe). Nor is this list of Jesus limited to just this list. Whatever works of piety or religious works you do will fall into his discussion.

 

The second important thing we should note is “in order to be seen by them.” Jesus has no problem with public prayer or giving to the poor publicly. The problem is in the motivation (though public acts are hard to be done without the intention of being seen). Are you doing this good work or pious work to be seen by people? Well that’s all the reward you’re going to get, i.e. people thinking highly of you. You really should question your motives. Maybe you’re not doing it to be seen by others. Maybe you’re doing it to make yourself feel good. Well, that’s probably all the reward you are going to get also.

 

But note, there is a reward for doing good works with the right motivation. Your prayer, your generosity, your fasting and whatever else you are doing has a reward from God. Not eternal salvation, that is a gift of God in Christ Jesus. But God does reward such things done in faith. Actions done in faith are pleasing to God.  Jesus says, 19“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

So you may not receive any reward from God in this life for whatever it is you are doing. But rewards in this life are transitory. Here today, gone tomorrow. We are to lay up treasures in heaven. What are these treasures? Who knows! But they have to be better than any earthly reward and they will be eternal. They will never be lost, broken, are stolen. So where is your treasure? In heaven or is it only on earth. Jesus encourages us, maybe even commands us to have our hearts in heaven for that is where the treasure we’re seeking is to be found.

 

Heavenly Father, conform our wills, hearts, minds and souls to the image of your Son Jesus Christ that we may seek to store up treasure in heaven by doing good works according to your will and pleasure. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.