Members of our group have been through quite a bit over the past few months and the last two weeks we’ve had opportunities to celebrate and be grateful for the community of men we’re blessed with. One of the greatest blessings we enjoy is that our lesson each week helps us focus our attention on God’s truth and, at least for an hour, away from the distractions that separate us from God.
But outside of our hour together, even the best of us struggles at times with misplaced attention and focus. We often place too much attention on the things of this world and not enough on the things God wants for us. People have been the same for thousands of years and Jesus knew this when he said:
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:34).
In the verses just prior to this one, starting in Luke 12:22, Jesus explains in detail why we should not worry or be anxious. And then immediately before verse 34, He says that we should sell all of our possessions and give to the poor.
To be good Christians, do we really need to sell everything we own and give to the poor? Since there are examples of Godly people in the Bible with wealth and possessions, the point may be that He wants our focus and, if our focus is not on Him, then we should get rid of whatever it is that is distracting us.
So, where is your treasure? Here is a test that may provide some answers — Are you overly worried and anxious? If so, what are the primary sources of your anxiety? For most of us, there is a good chance that the answer to that question also describes where we focus most of our time and energy (and build our treasure). I think this is the primary message Jesus was trying to convey. He wants our focus and if we are focused on other things, our minds will not be on Him. He wants our whole heart which means He wants us to treasure our time with Him in prayer, reading the Bible, and following His commands.
Questions:
- Do you agree that it is difficult to maintain our focus on God and His wishes for our life? Why or why not?
- What is something in your life that you need to “sell” because it is distracting your from God?
- What are one or two treasures you would like to focus on growing in your life?
- What are some of the benefits of focusing our hearts on Jesus and growing our heavenly treasures?
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