Pigs & Pearls Don't Mix - Treasures in heaven

TODAY’S READING: MATTHEW 5,6, & 7

SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 7:6

"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”

OBSERVATION:

What stands out is that doing righteousness things for the approval of men is like giving dogs sacred things, or putting a beautiful pearl necklace on a pig.  People are not capable of carrying such a responsibility as receiving you, your efforts, or your sacrifices in a healthy way - they will trample them and they will turn on you.

Jesus is continuing his sermon that began in chapter 5  - talking about attitudes of the heart being meek, humble, merciful, pure, etc..  He then goes to say that these attitudes will help you life a life before God and not before men.   He says that these attitudes will help us to season our world with our lives (salt), and we will be a part of the revelation of Christ to the world (light).   He then talks about treasure found in eternal things like helping the poor, prayer, fasting, sacrifice, loving our neighbors, etc..  But he qualifies this by saying that those same things done with a desire to gain the attention, approval, and applause of men is like putting your treasure in an unsafe place.  In fact if he says that if you do these things for men your reward will be found in men.  However, if you perform before an audience of God only, then that is where your reward will be found - in Him, stored up in eternity.

APPLICATION:

 There are a lot of things that belong to God that we give to unworthy entities.  Our desire to be recognized, need for fulfillment, our sacrifice & hard work, praise, our search for significance & praise.  To do things for God that nobody else knows about.  Amanda and I were going thru a hard time financially one time.  Somehow, somebody caught wind of this and anonymously began sending us gift cards to the grocery store every month for a year.  We are not sure who because they did not want to be known - they were doing this for us but before God.

PRAYER:

Lord help my heart to stay humble before you.  Lord help me to continuously put my treasures in eternity and not in temporal things.  In Jesus name - AMEN!