What if I told you that giving money to good causes won’t necessarily change your heart?
Many assume that if they invest their finances in the right places, their affections will follow. But what if the real issue isn’t where our money goes, but what we treasure most?
The Words of Jesus: Treasure and the Heart
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers one of the most profound insights into money and the human heart:
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21)
Many interpret this to mean that if we direct our money toward good causes, such as ministries or charities, our hearts will naturally follow. And often, generosity does strengthen our connection to what we support. However, if money itself remains our treasure, even generous giving can leave our hearts tied to wealth rather than to God.
What if Jesus wasn’t just telling us to redirect our money but inviting us to reexamine what we treasure most? The real challenge isn’t simply choosing better causes; it’s choosing a better treasure. If our hearts cling to money, even when giving it away, we remain captive. But if we treasure God above all, our money will naturally reflect that devotion.
The Widow’s Offering: A Heart Aligned with God
Consider Jesus’ observation of the widow’s offering in Mark 12:
"And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny." (Mark 12:41–42)
The wealthy gave much more than the widow, but their giving didn’t free them from money’s grip. Their treasure was still rooted in their wealth.
Jesus exposes a similar heart issue when He rebukes the Pharisees in Matthew 23:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness." (Matthew 23:23)
The Pharisees gave meticulously, yet their hearts were enslaved to pride and status. Their giving wasn’t born from a love for God, but from a desire to maintain religious appearances.
True Freedom in Treasuring God
In contrast, the widow’s tiny offering flowed from deep trust and surrender to God. She gave not to be seen, but because her greatest treasure was the One standing before her. Jesus praised her, not for the amount she gave, but because her heart fully belonged to Him.
If giving alone could free us from money’s hold, the Pharisees would have been the most spiritually free people of their day. But they weren’t. True freedom comes not from giving more but from treasuring God most.
As Pastor John Piper puts it:
“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
How Do We Shift Our Hearts?
So, if the issue isn’t where we put our money but what we treasu