Treasure in Heaven

One of my favorite pieces of Scripture is found in the Gospel of Matthew. It is a portion of Jesus' sermon on the mount. In Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV), Jesus teaches, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
      These verses have often helped me reprioritize my desires and focus. I am surrounded by the message that I do not have enough. There is always something new, shinier, more valuable, or bigger to work for. Rather than looking to be wealthy on earth (or possessing more than I need), I have to consistently look to these verses to remind myself that there is a treasure far more important that I should be pursuing.
      So, how do we store up treasures in Heaven?
      I find it interesting that many verses prior to this one talk about gaining reward (or not) from God.  I believe that this points to ways we can begin building up the treasure Jesus spoke of. In the Gospels, we see that giving to those in need is one of the ways we can store up treasure in Heaven.
      I never noticed it before, but we find that exact phrase through the retelling of the same memory in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In Matthew 19:16-30, we see a rich young man approach Jesus asking how he can obtain eternal life. Jesus tells him to obey the commandments. The man responds that he is already doing so. Then, when the man asks what he still lacks, Jesus responds (in verse 21), "If you want to be perfect go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me." The Bible tells us that the man left that conversation sad. He chose his wealth.
      The same story is found in Mark 10:17-31 and in Luke 18:18-30. Because we can read it in multiple books of the Bible, I believe this story holds a truth God does not want us to miss. We work so hard to gain treasure and wealth on this earth, even though none of it will come along with us when we die. Yet, many of us cannot say we work with that same passion to provide for those in need and to take care of the poor. Jesus wasn't telling the man to be poor. He could work for further wages. Jesus wanted the young man to see his wealth for its true heavenly value. Ironically, all his wealth was worthless unless spent on the poor. Unfortunately, the young man found more value in his possessions than in those in need. Consequentially, he also placed a greater value on His possessions than in following Jesus. At the end of the day, he chose what was perishable instead of that which would last forever.
      The only other time we see the phrase "treasure in Heaven" in the Bible (besides the parts of Mark and Luke where Jesus's conversation with the rich man is also shared) is in Luke 12:32-34. In these verses Jesus says, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
      If we want to store up treasure in Heaven, then the message is clear: we need to give to the poor. We will spend our eternity with God and our brothers and sisters in Christ; not with our televisions, houses, cars, etc. In light of Heaven, these things are trash. They don't matter. We must prioritize people over possessions.  That is how we begin to have a heart that is more like God's heart.