Money has always been what enslaves those without it and leads to addiction for those with it.
Jesus taught this about what treasure really is: "19 ¶Lay not up for yourselves treasuresupon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break throughand steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:19-21
Treasures in Heaven last beyond this life whereas our material wealth does not. Our fine clothes, bank account balance, our luxury SUV's or movie and music collections do us no eternal good.
But our true wealth, our memories, our kinds words and deeds leave an impact that lasts beyond this world. They are the treasures we lay up in Heaven.
But the biggest lesson to me is that where our treasure is our heart will be also. So if we choose the material wealth we will grow to love it. We will polish our treasured sports car with a diaper while we ignore our spouse or children.
Families are forever and our life's work ought to be in loving them. The family and loved ones are where our treasure is and where our heart should be. The dividends of that work will pay off for all eternity.
15% of everything Jesus taught was about money and possessions. That's more than what He taught about Heaven and Hell combined. The Bible taught 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 on faith but over 2,000 on money and possessions.
It is critical that we understand the scriptural ethos of money and possessions. Here in Mosiah is one of my favorite passages:
19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? Mosiah 4:19
We are alike unto God, we are all beautiful in the eyes of God. Our bank account balance does not make us better than others. Whether high or low our money and possessions reflect nothing more than whether we are rich or poor. To say you are blessed because you have plenty is to say those without are cursed.
Zacheous was a tax collector for the Romans, considered a sinner and traitor the the Jews. He pledged half of his wealth and to repay four times what he stole from others. Here is how his story unfolds in scripture:
19 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:1-10
If we want to achieve salvation we must ask what we can do for others, how best we can serve? What we cannot do is be selfish and only ask what we can do for ourselves? Because if we do then our heart will only be with ourselves and not with others and not with God.
True happiness follows us into the eternities so we must take care as to what we treasure and what we grow to love.
