Meekness Changes What You Treasure
“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)
When I first started studying the Sermon on the Mount
– many, many years ago, I might add – I struggled to see how the above verses
fit in relation to a person being meek. All the rest of the outline (see the very first
post of this blog, entitled The Key to the Sermon on the Mount and
posted on Sept. 26, 2014) worked really well but I
struggled with this part. Then, as I went deeper into what it means to be meek
in the Biblical sense (see yesterday’s post), it made all the sense in the
world.
Those who are truly meek,
who are gentle with people and humble before God because they are trusting God
and operating in the inner strength that He provides, have a different set of
values than those who are not meek. The meek seek eternal treasure while the
“unmeek” pursue earthly treasure.
For example, when I
was a young man my goal in life was to be a millionaire by the time I was 30
years old. I started a record store and spent countless hours trying to get
rich in worldly terms. I made as much money as I could by any means possible
and basically bought whatever caught my eye at the time – first my own house
and fancy cars, then toys like a dune buggy, a boat, and many other toys that
came and went. My treasure was worldly stuff, and as Jesus says, that is where
my heart was as well.
And in my pursuit of
worldly wealth, it didn’t matter who I took advantage of, stepped on, or hurt
in order to make more money and accumulate more stuff. I wasn’t gentle with
people; it was quite the opposite as I was often harsh and condemning. My ego
was totally wrapped up in my worldly success – I really thought I was something
great! But was I meek in the Biblical sense? Humble before God and gentle with
people due to that inner strength that comes from waiting upon Him? That is
definitely something I was not.
Thankfully the Lord
got ahold of me and set me straight. Through a process that started quite
dramatically but eventually took years – and still isn’t complete – I have
become more meek and more like Christ. And I can tell you that without a doubt
I am far happier with heavenly treasure than with earthly treasure.
For the truth is, the
more stuff you have, then the more stuff you have to worry about. The bigger your
bank account and investments, the more you have to worry about them and guard
over them. The more you focus on money and prosperity, the less you focus on
God. The more you rely on your assets and your good management of your life,
the less you look to God to come and reign in your life. Your daily decisions
become all about you and not about Him.
So then, trust me in
this for I have been there, being meek has everything to do with what you
treasure. If your life is all about the pursuit of earthly treasure, you will
find it difficult if not impossible be meek, to have that inner strength that
manifests itself in gentleness and a humble heart. Meekness and being like
Christ will be the last thing on your mind if you pursue earthly treasure.
But if your life is
all about pursuing God and heavenly treasure, the fruit of the Spirit that
includes meekness will be yours. As you seek first His kingdom, as you put Him
and His reign first in your life, as you live to please Him above all else, the
meekness of Christ will be yours. For as you spend both quality time and
quantity time with Him, you will know Him better and learn to trust Him more.
And as you learn to wait upon God and follow Him in
all things, there will come upon you an inner strength, a power from on high, a
perfect peace, an indescribable joy that will empower you to be gentle towards
people and humble before God. You will be like Jesus, who invites you to come
to Him now: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:29)
I answered that call
many, many years ago and I have never regretted it, though it has not always
been easy. I traded in my earthly treasure, which moths and rust destroy and
that thieves break in and steal, for heavenly treasure that will be mine for
all eternity. I traded that which I couldn’t keep for something that I cannot
lose. I traded earthly treasure that caused me much stress for heavenly
treasure that became the greatest stress-reducer in the world – I realized my
future is secure in God’s hands.
Changing what I treasure changed my life and the Lord
invites all of us to do the same. Come to me, be meek like me, says Jesus, and
you will find rest for your soul. Abandon your pursuit of earthly treasure and
pursue Me, says Jesus, and you will find heavenly treasure. Seek first My
kingdom and My will for your life. Take stock right now, He says, for where
your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Give your life to Him right now, my friend, before it
is too late. Maybe this is the first time you’ve been encouraged to give your
life to Him or maybe it is the thousandth time you have done it. Either way, do
it for the first time or do it again. Give him your heart, your possessions,
your future, your everything. Trade what you can’t keep for what you can’t
lose. You won’t regret it.
Pray with me: Lord, I give my
life to you. I give you my life, my heart, my possessions, all that I am. Use
me for your glory. I am abandoning my pursuit of worldly wealth and success in
order to pursue You and to please You. Help me to change what I treasure day by
day, moment by moment, decision by decision. I confess that there are many
things and many situations that have kept me from following you whole-heartedly.
I bring them before you now, confessing my mistakes and asking for your
guidance and help…continue praying as you are led…
For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:
Matt 11:28-30
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and
ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light. (KJV)
Matt 21:5 Tell
ye the daughter of Zion
Please use this blog for
personal devotional use and feel free to share it with friends and family.
However, all publishing rights are reserved. No reproduction or publication of
this blog is permitted without the permission of the author, Pastor Randy
Brockett of New Song
Foursquare Church
in Colorado Springs , Colorado
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