Seek Ye First

SEEK YE FIRST.

Matthew 6:19-34.

1. Heart-Treasure.

“Treasure not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,” begins Matthew 6:19. Moths destroy clothes (cf. Isaiah 51:8). Even gold and silver can become cankered (cf. James 5:2). Thieves can literally “dig through” mud-brick houses.

No, “but treasure up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). The ‘where?’ is as important as the ‘what?’. We are challenged into the prayer-closet (cf. Matthew 6:6), into the storeroom where the Father is already laying up our heavenly treasures.

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). The heart is a metaphor for our very being. Which is more important to us: “God” or “Mammon” (Matthew 6:24)?

Jesus is concerned that His disciples should have a “single” eye (Matthew 6:22). Elsewhere this is described as a ‘bountiful eye’ which shall be blessed; ‘for he gives of his bread to the poor’ (cf. Proverbs 22:9). Jesus may be changing the metaphor from heart to eye, but He is not changing the subject.

The opposite of this is an eye that is “evil” (Matthew 6:23). The person who ‘makes haste to be rich’ is described as having ‘an evil eye’ (Proverbs 28:22). In the parable of the vineyard-workers, the self-appointed union-rep (who complained that those who had worked less hours were also getting enough wages to see them through to the next day) was asked, ‘Is your eye evil because I am good?’ (Matthew 20:15).

So, we must choose between “God” and “Mammon” (Matthew 6:24). It is all a question of priorities. If we are a slave to the things of this world, then we cannot be an effective servant of the kingdom of God.

2. Anxiety.

“Take no thought” is an unfortunate translation (Matthew 6:25). When Jesus says (literally) “be not careful”, He obviously is not sanctioning thoughtlessness, nor even carelessness. He rather means, “Do not be anxious.”

Jesus introduces a trinity of cares: what shall we eat; what shall we drink; what shall we put on? Our “life” (the word would be more literally translated “soul”) is more than all these. Again it is a question of priorities: what use is it anyway if we gain the whole world, but lose our soul (cf. Matthew 16:26)?

If we study the birds, we might learn something of the providence of God: we might learn to trust Him. For they do not sow or reap or store in granaries, but God provides for them: and are we not better than they (Matthew 6:26, cf. Matthew 10:29-30)? Which of us by fretting and worrying can add one inch to our stature, or one moment to our lifespan (Matthew 6:27)?

And what about the flowers of the field? They labour not nor spin, and yet they are adorned better than Solomon in all his glory (Matthew 6:28-29, cf. 1 Kings 10:4-5). Even such things, which would later be gathered with the grass as kindling for the fire, are under God’s care: so why should we doubt Him (Matthew 6:30)?

So, “do not be anxious,” repeats Jesus (Matthew 6:31). People who do not know God may prioritise these things: but we have a heavenly Father who knows that we need them (Matthew 6:32) - even before we ask. As for us, we must hold the things of this earth with a loose hand and prioritise our lives in such a way as to give precedence to the kingdom of God and the establishment of His righteousness (Matthew 6:33, cf. Isaiah 9:7).

We set our eyes, set our hearts, towards the advancement of the kingdom of God. We trust not ourselves to accomplish it, but we know the One whose righteousness is imputed to us and follow His lead. Rest assured, when He is in charge of our lives we need not worry about tomorrow today (Matthew 6:34)!