Where Is Your Treasure?

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:

How Do We Shift Our Hearts?

So, if the issue isn’t where we put our money but what we treasure, how do we shift our hearts?

1. Recognize God as Your Greatest Treasure - Until God is our highest joy, we will always cling to lesser things.
2. Seek First His Kingdom - When God’s Kingdom is our priority, everything else—including money—falls into place.
3. View Money As A Tool, Not A Treasure - If we treasure God, we will steward it wisely without being controlled by it.
4. Store Up Treasures in Heaven - This means prioritizing what truly lasts—growing in Christ, loving others, and living generously.

When our treasure is in God, our relationship with money changes. We give not to force our hearts to care, but because our desires are already aligned with what God cares about. We are freed from financial anxiety because our security is in God, not wealth (Matthew 6:25–34).

If money is our treasure, our hearts will forever remain enslaved to it, no matter how generously we give. But if we treasure God, our hearts will be free, and our relationship with money will reflect that reality.

Partner with FaithFi

With a gift of $35 a month or more or $400 a year, you’ll help more Christians find freedom in Christ through biblical financial wisdom. As a thank you, you’ll receive:

• Early access to all our studies and devotionals
• A subscription to our quarterly Faithful Steward magazine
• Access to the Pro Version of the FaithFi app

On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:

• I would like to know if I can cash in a CD and gift the money to a family member without incurring a penalty. Also, would you feel guilty about drawing out some money from my 401(k) to buy myself a little gift instead of going into debt?
• I’ve paid tithe on the gross amount my whole life. Now that I’m retired and drawing Social Security, pension, and business income, I’m wondering if I should continue to tithe. Some people say it’s already been tithed, so why tithe it again?
• I want to sell my almost 70-year-old home and move into a senior residence that’s handicap accessible. I’m on Social Security Disability, and I was told that selling a home is considered income and will stop my disability benefits. Is this true? 
• I heard you talk about the $19,000 gift limit per person per year. I want to know if the same limitations apply if I give to a 501(c)(3) organization and I’m not planning to claim it on my taxes.
• I would like to leave our paid-off house to my children if both my wife and I have passed. Should I get a will, put them on the deed, or establish a trust and incur the associated expense? Can I just put them on a deed, and when we pass, it goes to them?

Resources Mentioned:

• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s New Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money (Pre-Order)
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)
• FaithFi App