I remember our boys were so excited to put money in the offering. I remember our middle son hearing about children having no toys and wanting to give them all of his. Pure hearts giving out of love.
Storing up treasures in heaven is investing in the kingdom of God. It’s knowing that your giving is one of the ways that God reaches others and changes lives. I love how Mark Batterson says, “Your generosity is someone else’s miracle.” When you give, you don’t know how God will use your generosity, but you can know God will work! It’s generosity with no intention of getting something in return.
Your giving is 100% between you and God. That’s why Jesus returns to the heart of the matter. What we treasure is shown in what and how we give. What we treasure will show if we serve our money or if we use our money to serve God.
Two key things to remember:
Generous people give with eternity in mind.
Generous people give from the heart.
Jesus presses in on the crowd to deal with the hypocrisy that lives within them and likely us. What was the hypocrisy? Doing things for God, only to be seen by others. The hyper-religious in Jesus’ day wanted their generosity to be seen and celebrated by others. They wanted their prayers heard and noted by others. They practiced their righteousness for others’ attention and applause and as Jesus put it, they received their reward in full. No reward for their generosity. No action on their prayers.
Why is this? They weren’t giving to God. They weren’t praying to God. They weren’t living for an audience of one – God. They were living to be seen and known by the crowds. That’s why Jesus reminds us to keep our hearts right by practicing our acts of righteousness like giving and praying in secret. Because the things done in secret are no secret to God. He sees. He hears. He acts. He blesses.
Deb Hill
Executive Assistant