Treasures, Eyes, and Masters (Matthew 6:19, 22, 24)

by Pastor Rich Carlson

            The idea of having three points in a sermon must have found its birth in the Sermon on the Mount. I keep finding triads in Jesus’ message that tie things together so beautifully. Today it’s about treasures, eyes, and masters:

Lay up treasures in heaven, not on earth (Matt 6:19-21).

Keep your eye full of light and your whole life will benefit (v22-23).

Chose who will be master in your life (v24).

I get to choose where I am going to invest my resources (except tithe and taxes!) I can lay up treasures on earth and then stress over economic crises, or, I can invest in heaven and heaven’s ideals with a guaranteed return on my investment. I was challenged with the need to choose carefully where I invest—time, money, resources, talents—because wherever I make my investments is where my focus in life will be. If I’m heavily invested in service to God and committed to His ways I believe, even in an economic recession, I’ll find inner peace and contentment.

I get to choose what I will fill my life with and, apparently, the greatest access point to my life is through my eyes. They are the "lamp of the body," according to Jesus. It appears to be all about choosing light or darkness, good or bad, evil or purity. My greatest "ah-ha" moment today came with the phrase, "If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (v23, NIV). How can light be darkness? I’ve thought about that many times and my conclusion at this time is this: I don’t think I usually choose to allow bad things (darkness) into my life. I don’t carefully pick out bad things and then purposefully expose myself to them. But I can be just as vulnerable to compromise as anyone else.

To me, compromise is the "art" of deciding that bad is really not so bad, in this situation, for me, right now. It’s my sinful human nature’s ability to make bad seem not so bad, or even good, and then letting it in. And once I do confusion reigns supreme! What I thought was light was really darkness and I can get really confused about what is good and bad if I compromise.

And I get to choose who I want to be master of my life. I’d like to say it’s me, but I’ve lived long enough to realize that though I may be the manager of my life–and I must take that role seriously, I’m not a very good master. I need someone with a bigger dream, a greater vision, a commitment to my success that supersedes my natural tendencies and abilities. I can get into survival mode quite easily and not see the bigger picture. There are two masters out there, both willing to "assist" me, and both demanding that I choose allegiance to them if their plan is going to work. I’ve watched that process in my life long enough to know which is the better "Boss." So why do I keep trying to let both of them lead me? The promise is that One has already won and the prediction is that the other has no chance of winning. Unlike so many things, the outcome is not up in the air. There is only one vote that counts—mine! I had better be sure I choose wisely. If I don’t choose I have, in fact, already chosen the losing side by default. I don’t get to ride the fence, and I can’t have the "best of both worlds" and still expect to come out on top. "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. …But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" (Josh. 24:15).

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. “God Is Faithful” is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.