What if your entire financial strategy is built on sand?
Jesus didn’t just teach about prayer and purity, He also confronted our deepest assumptions about money, security, and success. In Matthew 6, He offers a radical investment strategy that flips the world’s wisdom upside down.
We all want security. We spend our lives gathering, reserving, and investing, hoping to create a fortress against future uncertainty. But what if the very foundations we build our security on are guaranteed to crumble?
In the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shifts the focus from religious ritual to radical economics, presenting a stark choice about our investment strategy. The passage: Matthew 6:19-21, isn’t just about money; it’s about the ultimate orientation of the soul.
The Folly of Earthly Investment
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” -Matthew 6:19
Jesus begins with an uncompromising prohibition:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth.”
The Greek word thēsaurizō means to hoard or accumulate for self-security. This is not a suggestion, it’s a command to stop building our identity on fragile foundations.
He offers three vivid reasons why earthly wealth is a poor investment:
- Moth - Destruction of soft goods (like garments); speaks to decay
- Rust - Corrosion of hard goods (like metal or grain); speaks to instability
- Thieves - Sudden external loss; speaks to insecurity
Earthly treasure is fundamentally temporary. Whether slowly by decay or suddenly by disaster, it will be lost.
The Wisdom of Heavenly Investment
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” - Matthew 6:20
Jesus reverses the conditions of earthly risk:
- No Moth → No decay
- No Rust → No deterioration
- No Thieves → No external loss
Heavenly treasure is defined by permanence, stability, and security.
How Do We Invest in Heaven?
We invest in heaven by channeling our resources into eternal outcomes:
- Generosity - Using wealth to serve others and the Kingdom (1 Timothy 6:18–19)
- Obedience & Discipleship - Prioritizing eternal pursuits over temporal ones
- Loving Services - Doing good, praying, and fasting in secret for God’s reward
- Relational Investment - Forgiveness, mentoring, and hospitality that echo into eternity
Use temporary resources to purchase eternal outcomes.
The Crux: Where Your Treasure Is
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:21
This is the spiritual law:
Treasure determines the heart’s location.
- If your treasure is on earth → your heart will be consumed by anxiety, maintenance, and fear
- If your treasure is in heaven → your heart will be anchored in joy, peace, and eternal hope
💬 We’re not called to force a heavenly heart, we’re called to invest in heavenly treasure, and our heart will follow.
A Challenge to Re-Evaluate Security
1. Take Inventory
What occupies your time, thoughts, and anxiety? That’s where your treasure lies.
2. Make a Transfer
Practice radical stewardship. Use every dollar, hour, and talent to invest in eternal outcomes.
3. Anchor Your Heart
Let the knowledge of an incorruptible reward shape your daily choices.
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” - Colossians 3:2
Your Declaration
“I choose to invest in what cannot be stolen. I anchor my heart in the eternal. My treasure is in the Kingdom, and my joy is secure in Christ.
Blessings
May you walk this week with eyes lifted above the temporary,
hands open to eternal investment,
and a heart anchored in the unshakable Kingdom of God.
May the Holy Spirit guide your generosity,
your stewardship, and your secret acts of love,
so that your treasure multiplies where moth cannot touch,
where rust cannot corrode,
and where thieves cannot steal.
And may your heart follow your treasure,
into joy, into peace, into the presence of Jesus Christ,
who is your reward, your security, and your everlasting home.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
✍️ About the Author
Pastor Kolawole Amigun is the author and curator of the Rooted Together Devotionals series, including the 31-day journey: Called, Not Just Hired. His passion is helping believers integrate faith and profession, teaching them to see their work not just as employment, but as sacred legacy.
He serves at King’s Church Ministry, equipping Christians to live sent, not just hired, and to invest their lives in what cannot be stolen. Through biblical clarity and spiritual depth, Kolawole invites readers to anchor their hearts in the eternal and build lives rooted in Kingdom purpose.
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