In response to the temptation of money, Jesus comes and he says it must not be our primary focus. As citizens of the kingdom, as children of God, we must not set our hearts on accumulating earthly treasures, but on pleasing the Father. That is the treasure we must pursue—the will of the Father in heaven—we are dependent on God and we must make it our aim to serve him even as Christ has done the same.

As motivation, he gives us three reasons. First, there is the temporal nature of earthly possessions. Clothes wear out or they are destroyed by moths. Food never takes long to perish. Houses fall into disrepair. Precious metals are ruined by rust, and the nest egg built up in your bank account can be stolen by robbers with their clever tricks. Certainly, these earthly possessions are needed, and we must work for them. But they must not be our focus. They must not consume all our time and energy as if life consists in the abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15).

Along with the temporal nature of earthly things, there are also the benefits that come from kingdom living. Admittedly it is tricky to understand exactly what Jesus means when he says that the eye is a lamp which lights the body. But in connection with what comes before and after, it definitely has to do with the focus of our lives. If we are focused on seeking God’s will and the purposes of his kingdom, then, as light enters a room, so will our lives also benefit from this focus.

For one, we will not be consumed by our possessions. We will learn to live with balance, we will have a right attitude to the things of this world—enjoying them in thankfulness, sharing them with those in need, using money and other resources for good rather than being slaves to them.

On the other hand, if our focus is on possessions, then our life will suffer: the pressure to keep up with our neighbours; late hours at work to make sure you can have the home of your dreams; a reluctance to share; constant worry about investments and returns. When the accumulation of money is our focus, then it does not take long for all of our thoughts, all of our energy to be consumed by the same. Our hearts will follow what we treasure and if it is possessions...well, then instead of improving our lives as we might think, there will be darkness. Anxiety, stress, the justification of sin—the love of money truly is a root of all kinds of evil.

A final motivation for serving God is the fact that he is our master. Looking at the final words we read from Matthew 6:24, you could say that they are more of a warning than a motivation—a warning about the deceitfulness of money and its influence on our lives. Certainly, there is that aspect, but behind the warning there is also the truth about our identity in Christ. Citizens of the kingdom, we belong to God and he is our master. Bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus, we have been made part of a new family, we have been given the right of an inheritance in glory, we are servants of God.

Since God is our master, it naturally follows that we must not  go looking for another. He will give us what we need, he will look after his people. We do not need to hedge our bets as if his love is uncertain. We are not pagans who know nothing of his nature. No, we know God to be full of love and compassion. He is our Father who sent his Son to atone for our sins. The Father who adopted us for life with him in glory. Our Father who knows what we need before we ask. Our Father who loves us for the sake of Christ and views us in the light of his perfect righteousness.

Money then must not be the focus of God’s children. It must not be the first thought in our mornings and evenings. It must not consume our hearts or bring fear to our minds. Yes, it is needed for life on earth, but it is not the purpose of our existence. In thankfulness to Christ, we live to serve the Father; changed by the Spirit, we seek his pleasure before our own.