19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 6:19–20.
I am 57 years old now. I spend a lot of time thinking about retirement and wonder if I have saved enough to live on when I decide to retire. I believe that I should have saved more and spent less throughout my life so that I wouldn’t have to worry about it when the time comes. It’s not so much that I worry about having enough to live a lavish lifestyle but, I want to make sure that I have enough for a comfortable life and provide for my wife.
Does God think wealth is evil? I don’t think so. I think 1 Timothy 6:17 gets the point across and identifies the potential issue with wealth.
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 1 Ti 6:17.
Wealth can cause a person to become arrogant and this is a dangerous attitude. God does not tolerate haughtiness. There is also the trust issue. A person who places his trust in wealth is not making a wise choice. Wealth can not be trusted nor should it be depended on as part of one’s identity. It can be taken away more quickly than it came.
Where should we place our focus? Treasures in heaven are out of the reach of rust, moths and thieves. They do not pass away when all earthly treasures have passed away. Heavenly treasures will always exist. Nothing made of earthly material will remain.
We need to focus on serving a mighty God by living for Him. We do that by investing in the souls of people. Share the gospel through words and actions. Love your neighbor as yourself and lead them to Jesus. Once they become children of God (John 1:12) and their identity is in Him, they will remain eternally.