There are some phrases so well-known and well-worn in the Christian world that we can use them without even thinking about what they truly mean.
We've all probably said "I'll pray for you" without thinking of the commitment of actually doing it, or maybe we've quoted scripture at someone without thinking what it really means. "We know that all things work together for good." Well, yes. But don't forget the second half of the verse ("for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose"). Also, think how glib this can sound in the middle of someone's struggles.
One of these well-worn phrases is uttered by Jesus in Luke 12. He says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Most of us will be familiar with it. Maybe we've heard it used by churches and charities who are seeking our financial support. Maybe it's been used as an encouragement that our giving will be noticed by God. Yet, often it can be used without thinking about just how radical Jesus' words actually are.
The first clue to just how drastic Jesus' statement is comes from the context. The preceding line says, "Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys."
Not only is there the stark imagery of the thieves and the moths who will inevitably come after worldly possessions, there's also the blunt instruction to sell all we have. What Jesus seems to be suggesting is that if we want our hearts to be with God, then we need to put our money and possessions where God wants them to be.
Instead of operating on a principle of giving a part of our income, possessions and wealth to God and then doing as we please with the rest, Jesus is challenging us to do something far more radical. He's suggesting we give it all to God.
This sounds so counter-cultural to us, because we are constantly being told two things by contemporary society. The first one is that we must be sensible, save for a rainy day and be cautious with what we have. The second, more pernicious message our society gives is that wealth, possessions and money can make us more complete.
Not only do advertisers try to convince us that we need their products and services, they try to persuade us that we will be better people if we have them or use them. In fact, it's pretty well known that marketing people want us to aspire to be better, simply by buying their stuff.
This is obviously absurd when we stop and think about it. The problem is that we rarely stop and think about it. Our value simply cannot be defined by what we own – otherwise only the top one per cent of society would ever be happy. We would have to acquire a Donald Trump level of possessions simply to be content.
Jesus sees this and advises us to take a different path. "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" implies that if we put our treasure somewhere secure, then our hearts will feel that security. So, when we sell our possessions and "give alms" as the scripture has it (a better contemporary translation comes from The Message – "Be generous. Give to the poor") we are actually putting our treasure somewhere it can't decay.
When you buy food and give it to a food bank, when you offer support to a charity working with Syrian refugees, when you use your possessions for the common good – then they can't decay because they are being used for God's economy.
Jesus' advice goes beyond charity, though. His words resonate today because they demonstrate a different way of living. Don't simply search for the cheapest produce – because those goods may have been made by the slave labour. Don't invest your money in a high street bank which doesn't need it any way. Invest it in a local credit union which will lend it to a local person in need. Don't strive to acquire more and more things – instead, give things away!
This may sound attractive in theory, but how do we do it in practice? Theologian Eve Poole has one great idea. She says, "Perhaps next time your bank statement arrives you could pause to examine it in more detail. Who do you bank with and why?... Could you change your spending habits to more accurately reflect the kind of marketplace you want?"
In other words, yes Jesus' words are profoundly spiritual, but they are also intensely practical. Putting our hearts where our treasure is will involve giving away our possessions and income. But it will also involve sharing what we have with others, buying ethically and sustainably, and investing in businesses that have kingdom values rather than just a bottom line. This is a big challenge. But it isn't a chore – in fact, as Jesus says, it's good for us. Not only will we worry less, about the moths and thieves, but our hearts will be secure and in the place God wants them to be. That is a price worth paying.
