Mastered by our Worldview (Part One)- Matthew 6:19-24

As seen in the previous post, our worldview is the basic assumptions we make about reality, the way we “see” things. In Matthew 6, we find Jesus teaching on this subject, in three teachings which at first glance seem rather random and unrelated, but upon further examination we will find they actually comprise Jesus teaching on a single subject, the subject of worldview. He begins, in verse 19 and 20, by telling us not to store up for ourselves treasures on earth, but treasures in heaven. The verb translated store up here is in the present imperative in both verses, meaning Jesus here commands us to “keep on storing up”, a continual process. The word translated treasures here is thesauros- “that which is precious”. We are told here not to see as most precious (our worldview) to us the things of this earth, for everything here is subject to theft or decay, but to see as most precious to us the things of heaven, whose things are not subject to theft or decay. Notice how heaven here is not argued for but simply asserted, that its existence is presupposed and the heavenly worldview is based on its reality. Heaven is not only to be a reality but a priority, everything of eternal value comes from heaven and finds its home there, and all that finds its home in heaven remains there for eternity. In verse 21, Jesus presents the main point of this concept, expressed in the very familiar words “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. We must make note of the order of the words here, as it is commonly understood that this teaches the reverse order. Our treasure here is not where our heart is, but our heart is where our treasure is. What we see as most precious to us (our treasure) will determine where our heart is. The heart in the Bible is described as the seat of affection, intellect and volition, it is the heart which determines why we feel the way we feel, think the way we think and act the way we act, and it is our worldview which shapes our heart, for we will naturally pursue what is most precious to us. What we are told here is not that we are not to seek after treasures, but we are told here what those treasures should be, that we are to “see” things differently, and as what is most precious to us changes so will our hearts, and we will begin to feel, think and act differently. Jesus primary admonition here is for us to “see” things differently, to see everything according to the heavenly worldview rather than the earthly one, for as we see things differently, different things will become precious to us, our hearts will be transformed, and we will begin to feel, think and act differently, based upon the transformation of our worldview, of the way we see things.