We’ve been travelling through our Roadmaps series, looking at how Jesus gives us a roadmap for “wholehearted living.”
This week, we turn to the ending of Matthew 6 and the beginning of Matthew 7, where Jesus talks about storing up treasure, worry, and judging others.
Big Idea
What you value most shapes your life. Jesus calls us to live with eternity in mind—not just what we can see right now.
Key Scripture
Matthew 6:19–24, 25–34; Matthew 7:1–5
1. Your Treasure Reveals Your Heart
Jesus says: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21
We all treasure something—money, popularity, success, sports, relationships, or even our image online. These things aren’t automatically bad, but when they become the most important thing, they begin to control our hearts.
Your direction determines your destination.
Heavenly treasures look like kindness, generosity, forgiveness, living for Jesus, and helping others know Him. These things last forever. And Jesus tells us to focus on these things because they cannot be taken from you!
Jesus goes on to say, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24
Jesus makes it clear: you can’t live for God and live for something else at the same time. Jesus is not saying that money is bad – but it becomes a problem when it controls your priorities.
At some point, we all have to decide what we are really living for. Are we willing to live in such a way that we put obedience to God first, over building up wealth for ourselves?
2. Worry Reveals Where Your Trust Is
Jesus says, “Do not worry about your life.” – Matthew 6:25
That sounds great on the surface, but if we are honest, this is a very hard thing to do! We are often so worried about how things will happen and what consequences will come from our decisions. Yet, through all of the worry we have in life, Jesus points to something really simple.
He says that God provides for the birds and clothes the flowers—and you matter more than them.
He goes on to say that worry doesn’t add any time to your life, but it does take your focus off God.
Jesus isn’t saying here that we should just sit back and do nothing because he will provide all our basic needs for us, even birds have to still work to find food and build shelter. What Jesus is saying is for us to trust God, while you live responsibly.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:33
Instead of worry, Jesus says seek first His kingdom and all your needs will be given to you. Meaning, put God first, live in such a way that honours him, trust that he is soverign (Has supreme authority and is in control of the whole world) and cares about you more than birds.
3. Stop Judging Others—Start Looking Inward
Jesus warns us about judging others, “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged” – Matthew 7:2. He tells us that the same measure we judge the people around us, we should expect to receive it back the same.
Often, Christians tend to have a bad reputation for being judgmental, and this usually causes tension in relationships and pushes people away from the Church.
But Jesus tells us to deal with our own sin BEFORE pointing out the sin in someone else:
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” – Matthew 7:3-4
How can we offer any help to someone else when we are dealing with similar issues on our own?
Something I’ve noticed in life is that the loudest voice of judgment is often the voice most afraid of dealing with their own pain… needing to distract themselves from the “plank in their eye” by focusing on the speck of dust in someone else’s.
Jesus instructs us to, “first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” – Matthew 7:5
It’s easy to point out flaws in others, but Jesus challenges us to deal with our own hearts first.
Real growth begins with humility. When we understand our own struggles, we can help others with grace instead of judgment. We can help them from a foundation of understanding because we have learned how to overcome.
This gives us something helpful to offer them and it often protects us from putting ourselves higher than them because we have been where they are.
Why This Matters
What you treasure shapes your life.
What you trust reveals your faith.
How you treat others reflects your heart.
Reflection Questions
– What do you think people your age value most right now?
– What’s something that can easily take priority over God in your life?
– When do you find yourself worrying the most?
- Why is it easier to judge others than deal with your own struggles?
- Is there something you are currently struggling with? Who could you reach out to for help?
Weekly Challenge
Take 10 minutes each day this week and ask:
– What did I prioritize today?
– Did my choices reflect living for God?
Prayer:
God, help me want what You want. Teach me to trust You and focus on what really matters.
