TODAY IN THE WORD
One day in 1848, a businessman walked down the main street of San Francisco, waving a bottle full of gold dust and shouting, “Gold, gold!” Literally half of the city's population soon left to seek their fortunes, and the California Gold Rush eventually attracted hundreds of thousands of hopeful prospectors. But one who never struck it rich was James Marshall, the man who first found gold at Sutter's Mill. He wandered jobless for years, spent his old age as an alcoholic blacksmith, and died nearly penniless.

The pursuit of earthly treasures can never satisfy. Even if Marshall had found a mountain of gold and died as rich as a king, he would have found these “treasures” meaningless and hollow. In the end, only spiritual treasures matter. That's why the virtue of simplicity means pursuing spiritual, not material, treasures. Today's passage begins with a practical justification (vv. 19-20): Earthly treasures are at risk. They could be stolen or destroyed. But heavenly treasures are not subject to such dangers; it's obvious which kind we should seek and store up. As opposed to the rich fool who put his faith in his possessions, we are to be “rich toward God” (Luke 12:15-21; cf. v. 24).

A key principle for godly simplicity is this: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (v. 21). What do you think is worth your time and energy? What do you pursue? If such things as building a career or adding to your bank account are at the center of your daily activities, then they've claimed your heart. Believers are to live by different priorities for different purposes, namely, obedience to the will of God for the furtherance of His kingdom.

Your “eyes” have eternal consequences (vv. 22-23). Just as a lamp lights the way, what you see (thus desire, thus pursue) makes a huge difference. That's why the writer of Hebrews exhorted: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2).

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
One small book that captures the spirit of today's passage is The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving, by Randy Alcorn (Multnomah, 2001). The “principle” mentioned in the title is this: “You can't take it with you— but you can send it on ahead.” The last section of the book is entitled, “31 Radical, Liberating Questions to Ask God About Your Giving.” You might find this resource helpful in orienting your life toward the simplicity of pursuing God's kingdom.

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