People often play the short game—living without reference to God and thinking that the stuff of this world is as good as it gets. But there is a long game—to enjoy God now and for all eternity.

I like the concept of idols when it comes to seeing what is wrong with the human heart. An idol is not necessarily something carved out of wood or stone, but something that we look to for our security and significance. Money, and the stuff money can buy, is one very popular idol. Jesus teaches us that we cannot live for both God and money.

Investing in Heaven Makes Sense (19-21)

How much is enough? The rich person replies, ‘just a little more’. Wealth has a way of leaving us unsatisfied. It also has a way of disappearing. The minute you drive that new car out of the garage it has depreciated. Inflation means that your money is worth less every year. Shares crash. Property bubbles burst. Scam artists steal. Even if all of your invests go well, you are going to have to leave it all behind you when you die!

But there is an investment with a magnificent return. It is in the Bank of Heaven. How we live now affects the joy that we will experience in the life to come. Everything we do for God has eternal significance. Even the smallest thing done in Jesus’s name, like giving someone a cup of water, will never lose its reward.

Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also (21). People often play the short game—living without reference to God and thinking that the stuff of this world is as good as it gets. But there is a long game—to enjoy God now and for all eternity.

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