One of the most well-known Bible verses is Matthew 6:21, which says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (KJV).
But what does this verse truly mean?
Focus
“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Proverbs 2:1-6
The passage in Matthew does not refer to “treasure” only in terms of material wealth, like gold and riches, but conveys the sense of “value.”
The value I place on a particular matter, person, possession, or situation determines where my heart is. That’s why our notion of the greatest value, something unsurpassable, must be in Christ.
If the place of greatest value for you is heaven, then your heart will be there. Everything you do and seek will be there.
Direction
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:14
If you place greater value on material possessions, your life’s goal will become the constant pursuit of those possessions.
This establishes your target, the reason you get up every day, a path toward that purpose, the force that guides and leads you.
We don’t walk toward a place we don’t want to reach, but we seek what holds great value in our eyes.
It all comes down to priorities. What you prioritize dictates the pace and direction of your life.
Dedication
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Colossians 3:2-4
Many times, it’s not that you lack the time to do a certain thing; it’s how you prioritize spending your time that keeps you occupied.
And it’s not for us to debate what should or shouldn’t be worthwhile for someone. That’s something each person, individually, evaluates for their present and future, according to their dreams and plans.
What matters is being aligned with God’s will. Our sense of greatest value needs to be in God, in reading the Bible, and in understanding His plans, aligning everything with what He dreams for us.
If we value something, we dedicate time and attention to it. If not, it becomes secondary and falls into oblivion.
Whatever you assign value to becomes your treasure and fills your heart.
What has been filling your heart?
