Daily Word - Where's Your Treasure? - Matthew 19:23-30

Scripture:
Matthew 19:23-30 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Possessions and the Kingdom
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, " I assure you: It will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! (A) 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." (B)
25 When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked, "Then who can be saved?"
26 But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (C)
27 Then Peter responded to Him, "Look, we have left everything and followed You. So what will there be for us?"
28 Jesus said to them, "I assure you: In the Messianic Age, (D) [a] when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, (E) you who have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, [b] children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life. (F) 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. (G)

Footnotes:
Matthew 19:28 Lit the regeneration
Matthew 19:29 Other mss add or wife
Cross references:
Matthew 19:23 : Mt 13:22; Mk 10:23; 1Co 1:26; 1Tm 6:9;
Matthew 19:24 : Mt 12:28; Mk 10:25; Lk 18:25;
Matthew 19:26 : Gn 18:14; Jb 42:2; Jr 32:17; Zch 8:6; Mk 10:27; Lk 18:27;
Matthew 19:28 : Is 65:17; 66:22; 2Pt 3:13; Rv 21:1;
Matthew 19:28 : Ps 45:6; Mt 25:31; Heb 1:8; Rv 3:21; 22:1;, 3;
Matthew 19:29 : Mt 6:33; Mk 10:29; Lk 18:29;
Matthew 19:30 : Mt 20:16; 21:31; Mk 10:31; Lk 13:30;

Reflection:
Was Jesus really against wealth? And why does he issue such a strong warning to the rich (as well as to the rest of us who desire to be rich)? We know that Jesus was not opposed to wealth per se, nor was he opposed to the wealthy. He had many friends who were well-to-do, including some notorious tax collectors! One even became an apostle! Jesus' warning reiterated the wisdom of the Old Testament: Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is perverse in his ways (Proverbs 28:6; Psalm 37:16). Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist (Proverbs 23:4). Jesus seems to say that it is nearly impossible for the rich to live as citizens of God's kingdom. The camel was regarded as the largest animal in Palestine. The "eye of the needle" could be interpreted quite literally or it could figuratively describe the narrow and low gate of the city walls which was used by travellers when the larger public gate was locked after dark. A normal sized man had to "lower" himself to enter that gate. A camel would literally have to knell and crawl through it. Why is Jesus so cautious about wealth? Wealth can make us falsely independent. The church at Laodicea was warned about their attitude towards wealth and a false sense of security: "For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing" (Revelations 3:17). Wealth can also lead us into hurtful desires and selfishness (see 1 Tim. 6:9-10). Look at the lesson Jesus gave about the rich man and his sons who refused to aid the poor man Lazarus (see Luke 16:19). They also neglected to serve God. The scriptures give us a paradox: we lose what we keep and we gain what we give away. Generosity will be amply repaid, both in this life and in eternity (Proverbs 3:9-10, Luke 6:38). Jesus offers us an incomparable treasure which no money can buy and no thief can steal. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. Material wealth will shackle us to this earth unless we guard our hearts and set our treasure in God and his everlasting kingdom. Where is your treasure?

Prayer For The Day:
Lord, you have captured our hearts and opened to us the treasures of heaven. May you always be my treasure and delight and may nothing else keep me from giving you my all.