For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:21

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"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19-21

Commentary

This verse is the opposite of what many of us think about money. We think that we spend our money on things we care about. Instead, it says here that we start to care about things that we spend money on. It says for where your treasure is – that is, where it is now – there your heart will be. Treasure moves, heart follows. If you pile up treasures on earth, your heart will be on earth. If you pile up treasures in heaven, then your heart will be in heaven, where God wants it.

This is one of the many reasons we are called to give. If we give our treasure, our heart will be where we put that treasure. Do you find that you don’t care enough about the fate of oppressed peoples around the world? Give some of your money in that direction, and you’ll start caring!

This verse also illustrates the importance of budgeting. Without a budget, your money wanders around. If your money is wandering, you may find your heart wandering too. If you’ve never budgeted before, and you do an autopsy of your money, you may find shocking things. For example, you may find that you spend a third of your money on eating out. That may not be your desire, but it’s where your money went, and that’s where your heart is being lead as well. Tell your money where to go, and you can tell your heart where to go.