Finding Treasure That Lasts

If you step into almost any home or office, you’ll discover that human beings are treasure hunters. We may not call it that, and there may not be maps or shovels involved, but the search is unmistakable. It shows up in what we dream about, what we sacrifice for, and what keeps us up at night. From the time we are children, there seems to be an inherent instinct whispering to find what matters most. And when we do, we’ll finally be whole.

For some, that treasure looks like money or financial independence. For others, it looks like reputation, achievement, comfort, or security. We chase promotions, possessions, acclaim, or the image of the good life—believing that if we could just gather enough of the right kind of treasure, our hearts would finally feel settled. But the longer we hunt, the more elusive that finish line becomes. The bar moves. The number changes. The prize disappoints.

THE TREASURE WE THINK WILL SAVE US

One of the first signs that a treasure has captured our hearts is this: we begin to believe it holds the power to save. Maybe not in the eternal sense (we’d never use that language explicitly) but in the day-to-day sense of saving us from anxiety, insignificance, or lack. Money is especially good at offering that illusion. It promises to shield us from uncertainty, to give us options, to buy us time, to secure our futures, and to ease our fears.

And yet, here lies the spiritual paradox: the more we possess, the more we fear losing. The more we acquire, the more anxious we become about maintaining and protecting what we have. The treasure that once felt like salvation starts to feel like a trap. If you’ve ever reached a financial milestone only to discover a new set of fears waiting for you on the other side, you’re not alone. The problem isn’t that money is bad—it isn’t. The problem is that we keep asking it to do what only God can do.

That’s why A.W. Tozer observed this in his book The Pursuit of God: “The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness. Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight. Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever.”

Tozer understood what Jesus taught on a mountainside long before financial planning software and retirement calculators existed: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Treasure doesn’t just reveal what we value—it reveals who or what we worship.

The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. — A.W. Tozer

JESUS’ SPIRITUAL DIAGNOSIS

Jesus' words in Matthew 6:21 are often read as a kind of spiritual formula: give to God and your heart will follow. There’s some truth to that. Giving can awaken new affections and align our priorities with the Kingdom. But Jesus isn’t merely prescribing a strategy—He’s offering a diagnosis. He’s telling us that money is an X-ray of the soul. It’s a mirror that reflects what we trust, what we fear, and what we love.

That explains why you can give regularly—even sacrificially—and still love money. You can tithe faithfully and still place more hope in your portfolio than in God’s presence. You can be charitable and still anxious, generous and still greedy, outwardly spiritual and inwardly enslaved. Generosity by itself doesn’t transform us if our hearts remain tethered to the treasure we fear losing.

That’s why Jesus pressed His listeners not merely to give but to reorder. He never scolds His disciples for having treasure—He simply insists that the treasure be rightly placed.

Jesus revealed that the true measure of generosity isn’t the size of the gift but the position of the heart.

In Mark 12, it details a time when Jesus sat near the temple courts and watched people give. It tells us that many wealthy individuals contributed large sums. From a distance, it must have been impressive. Yet Jesus did not praise the generosity of these donors. Instead, His attention was captured by a poor widow who placed two small copper coins into the treasury, so insignificant that most would have missed it.

But Jesus didn’t miss it. He saw the heart behind the gift.

The wealthy gave without surrender. The widow gave without a safety net. The wealthy gave out of surplus; the widow gave out of trust. In that moment, Jesus revealed that the true measure of generosity isn’t the size of the gift but the position of the heart. The widow wasn’t performing. She wasn’t signaling status. She wasn’t leveraging philanthropy to gain influence. She was simply worshiping.

Jesus makes the same point again when He rebukes the Pharisees for tithing their herbs—mint, dill, and cumin—while neglecting “the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23). They were financial perfectionists. They were religious high-performers. But their treasure was reputation, not righteousness. Their giving was polished, but their hearts were impoverished.

If the act of giving alone could liberate the soul from the love of money, the Pharisees would have been the freest people in Israel. But they weren’t. Because freedom doesn’t come from giving more—it comes from treasuring Christ most.

WHEN TREASURE TURNS FROM TOOL TO MASTER VERY FEW PEOPLE intentionally worship money. Instead, the shift happens quietly. We start by relying on savings to feel secure. We begin measuring our progress solely in financial terms. We compare ourselves to others. We start fixating on what we don’t have and fearing what the future may demand. Before long, money isn’t just a tool God has entrusted to us—it’s a treasure we’re clinging to for dear life.

Jesus understood that money has a unique ability to offer control and predictability—two things the human heart craves. But when control becomes our functional savior, anxiety becomes our daily companion. That is why Jesus warned that we cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24). The issue isn’t that God feels threatened by wealth, it’s that wealth competes for the very affections and trust that belong to Him alone. The human heart cannot divide its devotion without diminishing it.

THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE FIND OUR ULTIMATE TREASURE IN GOD. EVERYTHING ELSE BECOMES SECONDARY—NOT WORTHLESS, BUT PROPERLY ORDERED.

In the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44), Jesus describes a man who discovers a treasure buried in a field. And in his joy, he sells everything he has to buy that field. The man isn’t reluctant. He isn’t calculating. He isn’t grieving what must be surrendered. He is thrilled because, for the first time, he sees clearly what is most valuable. He isn’t losing—he’s gaining.

That’s what happens when we find our ultimate treasure in God. Everything else becomes secondary—not worthless, but properly ordered. Like John Piper famously says, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

There is nothing wrong with enjoying the good gifts God gives. Homes, careers, businesses, investments, vacations, hobbies, and possessions can all be received with gratitude.

The treasure you were made for isn’t hidden from you; He has already revealed Himself in Christ. In Him, you possess more than enough.

When satisfaction flows from God, generosity flows from joy rather than guilt. Money loses its power to enslave because we no longer need it to save.

THE GOSPEL: THE TREASURE THAT CAME LOOKING FOR US

But here is the most surprising part of the treasure story: while we were searching for treasure, the greatest treasure was searching for us. Jesus didn’t merely tell parables about treasure—He became the treasure who gave everything to purchase us. You are the prize He pursued “for the joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2). He did not trade partially. He did not hedge His bets. He gave His life so we could gain Him.

That is why the Gospel is not ultimately a call to give up treasure, but a call to receive a greater one. Jesus never asks us to surrender anything without offering Himself in return. He does not lead us into scarcity—He leads us into abundance. Not abundance measured in dollars, but abundance measured in joy, peace, purpose, and freedom.

When God becomes our treasure, financial decisions become less about fear and more about faith. Less about accumulation and more about participation. Less about what we must protect and more about what we are now free to release.

If you find your heart drifting toward the false promises of wealth, you are not alone. Every steward—no matter how seasoned—must repeatedly return their heart to the One who satisfies. The treasure you were made for isn’t hidden from you; He has already revealed Himself in Christ. In Him, you possess more than enough.

The real question isn’t what you treasure—but who. Every earthly treasure requires guarding. Christ alone guards us. And when He is our treasure, we live with a confidence no market can shake and a wealth no thief can take.

From Rob West’s new book, Our Ultimate Treasure. Experience all 21-days by getting your copy at FaithFi.com/shop.

This article was published in our Faithful Steward magazine, a quarterly publication filled with encouraging stories, biblical teaching, and practical tools to help you grow as a wise and joyful giver. If you'd like to begin receiving Faithful Steward, consider becoming a FaithFi partner.