Treasures in Heaven

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” 

Matthew 6:19-21

One of the reasons people become staunch Christians is the witness of the saints and martyrs who willingly gave their lives in defense of the gospel. See what St. Paul suffered through: 

“…far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure.” 2 Corinthians 11:23-27

Why would any sane person continue preaching Jesus’ new way if he did not decisively believe it? So many of Jesus’ followers, unknown and known, willingly gave their lives instead of denouncing Him. There’s St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, who was stoned WHILE the still unconverted Saul looked on in approval! Then there’s James, son of Zebedee, one of Christ’s first disciples who was executed by the sword on orders of Herod Agrippa. Simon Peter, one of the first leaders of the early Church and founder of the Church of Antioch and Rome, was crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero. And the list of martyrs goes on and on, Andrew, Thomas, Jude, Barnabas and Mark the Evangelist were all martyrs of the faith. 

They did not store up treasures here on earth, but accumulated treasures in heaven. We need not be martyrs to store up treasures in heaven. We just need our heart in the right place, with Jesus, for where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.