Treasured Loves // Matthew 6:21

What do you treasure? Today’s verse is one that helps us realize our heart aligns with our treasures. I find it interesting how Jesus taught about the condition of the heart as a key to one’s relationship with God. All too often we base our value and effectiveness on our performance. This was true in the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry just as it is today. What Christ taught His followers is the motivation behind the things that we do is just as important, if not more so, than what we do. The Apostle Paul echoed this in his famous writing on love in 1 Corinthians 13 that the things we do or say — good though they may be — are nothing more than motion without movement or even noise if they are not done with, and in, love. That can sting the best of us because of the times we do something good out of a sense of obligation. It’s hard for us to hear that good things done with the wrong motivation aren’t nearly as good in God’s eyes as they are our own. Friends, this convicts me greatly! So, what are we to do? I think it comes down to treasuring our relationships and committing ourselves to do everything with love (1 Corinthians 16:14). We can begin by treasuring our opportunity to worship today. Let’s gather in God’s treasured house because He treasures us and wants our lives to be conduits of love for a world so desperately in need of it. May that be our treasure and the motivation for everything we say and do.