What Does Your Life Say About Where Your Treasure Is?
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ~Matthew 6:21 NIV
Matthew 6:21 suggests that honor is primarily a matter of the heart and that a person’s heart is revealed through their actions. This has always been one of my favorite verses, and it was on my heart, so I searched more deeply into its meaning. As I studied, questions about my actions began to flood my mind, thus revealing my heart.
Where is your treasure?
What do you value? Whom do you value? Whom do you honor? Who or what consistently takes priority in your life? For whom or what do you push aside other people and obligations? For what do you make sure you’re always on time, and for what do you not mind showing up late? In whom or what do you invest your time and take the time to study without provocation?
What are you passionate about? What books do you read because you choose to, not because you have to? What do you wake up eagerly for each day? For what must you be dragged out of bed? What do you celebrate? What causes you to feel excitement?
How do you respond to conflict?
Do you respond with love and kindness or rudeness and criticism? How do you respond when you’ve caused pain to someone close to you? Do you apologize quickly and sincerely, or do you cling to pride? Do you forgive easily, or do you hold a grudge? How do you take care of relationships in your life? How do you let others know you care?
How well do you hold onto your values when life isn’t perfect? Do you sway easily or stand fervently? Are you a “fair-weather” believer, upholding values only when it’s convenient for your lifestyle or matches your feelings? Or are you disciplined, continuing to do what you said you would do long after the feeling has left you?
This list of questions could go on, but you get it. It can be confusing to consider what you value. But practical questions and applications help reveal to us where our heart lies and where we stand. It’s a gut (heart) check. The world is full of distractions and encourages justifications for selfish ways. The world encourages pride and self-righteousness. If we don’t routinely evaluate how we’re living and pull back the reins where needed, it’s a slippery-slope ride to finding ourselves being guided by motives outside of God’s design.
Where do you stand? Based on how you live your life, evidenced by your choices, where does your heart lie? Where is your treasure?
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is a registered nurse who loves caring for patients and their families during their worst times. She is married to Jason, and they have two labs they adore. When not busy with school or work, they spend time on the Gulf coast, saltwater fishing, attending sporting events, and visiting with family and friends. Kristie makes her home in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photograph © Mitchell Orr, used with permission
Kristie, thank you for your valuable reminder / lesson that you so beautifully listed to remind us to live each day with gratitude, love and forgiveness. I need to read this often to keep me focused on the importance of helping others and being kind to everyone. May God bless you and continue blessing us with your reflections on life.