“DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE MOTH AND RUST 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 BSB (Emphasis mine)
One of the most important subjects that Jesus taught on the mountain at the beginning of his earthly ministry, has to do with investment or treasure. He noticed the extent humanity would go in order to acquire them. Also, He noticed that, after all the struggle people had to go through to acquire them, there were no safe place to keep them. Therefore, he recommended the best place to invest in order to have both now and eternal value.
Like today, many of us have put in so much efforts into stocks, bonds and other financial investment that ended up to be fraud despite the kind of assurance we received from those companies. Some of the investments were not necessarily fraud but the stock market experienced a downturn and also financial recession affected those investment. This have rendered a lot of people homeless, some depressed, whiles others also lost their lives.
For instance, in the wake of the COVID-19, a lot businesses with huge investments had a nosediving experience. Others practically had to shut down. Fortunes have been lost. Nobody saw this coming. Despite the financial forecasters and the security experts whom we trusted; the global economy was affected. This implies that irrespective of the strategies we may put in place, as long as there is human involvement, our investment or treasures are not 100% safe.
The reason why the economic downturn heavily impacted some people to the extent of depression or loss of lives was because, their hearts depended so much on those investments. Therefore, our hearts are synonymous to our investment/treasure.
Treasure is associated to the heart. What do we desire? Are they things of this world like money, fame, possessions, security, success, power and influence which are nothing but a fleeting illusion? Or we are longing for Jesus the only treasure with both now and eternal value?
From the above scripture, the ‘moths’ and the ‘rust’ refers to the unforeseen circumstances like fire or economic downturn that heavily impacts our investments or treasure. Whilst, the ‘thieves’ referrers to the calculated attempts by fraudster to steal from the investors. Either way our physical investments are not safe. We cannot afford to solely depend on our wealth or acquisitions; it is good to have them but they must not preoccupy our hearts. Lest the moment we lose them our lives goes along.
In the next edition, we are going to discover how to invest in eternity for us to have a ‘now’ effect. God bless us all.
PRAY WITH ME
Lord Jesus, I thank you this day for my life. From this day forward, I have resolved in my heart that; You alone is going to be the object of my affection. Holy Spirit, please guide and help me achieve this. This I pray in the precious name of Jesus! Amen!
Author: REV. SOLOMON LUTTERODT
