Jesus told his followers, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV).
Jesus is describing a work ethic that leads to kingdom growth. Focusing on building wealth alone shows where your heart is. In the end we will be judged on how we used our gifts to benefit others in need, not by how much we bought throughout our lives. Since WWII, consumerism became the metric for how successful people are. The economy’s strength is now measured by how much people buy. This is the exact opposite of what Jesus taught in Matthew 6.
If we truly want to grow the kingdom we will spend less time buying and more time investing in people. Jesus’ conclusion is very true: “You cannot serve God and money” (vs. 24).