What is the biblical reference for the phrase "where your treasure is, ther

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“What is the biblical reference for the phrase”

“그 문구의 성경 구절은 무엇인가요?”

또는

“그 표현이 나오는 성경 구절은 어디인가요?” 입니다.


What is the biblical reference for the phrase "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"?

Assuming you are referring to Matthew 6:21 (which is actually slightly different than what you quoted) …

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The context for this passage is the preceding two verses, Matthew 6:19–20 …

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[e] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Which ties directly to the second part of your questions, about the meaning of “rich in spirit.” While this phrase does not actually exist in Scripture, I believe these two verses have given rise to it.

The key idea here is investment, which is clear when verse 19 talks about “laying up for yourselves treasures on earth” or “laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” In our parlance, “to lay up for yourselves treasures” is basically to invest your resources in some purpose.

And the brilliant truth expressed in verse 21 is a truth we experience in all of life. Whatever we invest our resources in, we will form a bond of (emotional and intellectual) commitment to.

This principle became clear to me when I first began dating the lovely woman who I would later ask to marry me. When I first visited her at her home (she was 16 at the time), her father asked me to do a very difficult thing, to “help him” by going into the crawl space under their home and removing the carcass of a dead possum!

And it was not merely dead, but had been in that state for some weeks. Think horrific stench and lots of flies and maggots.

I had a choice to make … flee screaming (and never return), or invest significant effort and give it my best shot. I thought about the woman I was already falling in love with, and decided to make the investment. I wrapped a kerchief over my face, put on gloves, took a plastic trash bag, and launched out on one of the most challenging things I had ever attempted.

And succeeded. I returned triumphantly (after throwing away the bagged carcass, kerchief, and even the gloves … and hosing myself down), and when I did, after investing my “treasure” (of time and effort) into that task, I discovered my heart followed along and was more committed than ever to the beautiful girl I loved.

(Five years later we were married. We have two children and one grandchild. Next month we will celebrate our 43rd anniversary.)

So hopefully the principle is clear: If we invest (time, talent, effort, money, emotions, will, whatever) in “things of earth,” that’s where our heart will be devoted to. But if we invest in “things of heaven,” THAT’s where our heart will be devoted to.

So then of course, one has to ask what is the difference between things of earth and things of heaven. The classic definition of the latter is “God, the Word of God, and the souls of people.” Because these are all things which will persist the boundaries of time. Everything else could be included in the first category, those temporal “things of earth.”

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t invest (to some extent) in things of earth, providing financially for ourselves and our family, etc. But more important, we should be investing in things of heaven: seeking after God (seeking to know him better and more clearly) and His Word; and investing in the eternal good of the people around us, loving on them and serving them. In other words, “It’s not all about us!”

Those who are “rich in spirit” invest in these things of Heaven … God, the Word of God, and the eternal welfare of the people around you (through love and service). Those who are “rich in spirit” are those who have invested well in these heavenly things.

Also, this is not to be confused with Christ’s meaning in Matthew 5:3 … “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Here to be “poor in spirit” is to humble yourself before God and others. As Solomon wrote (in Proverbs 16:19), “It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.”