Where Your Treasure Is, There Will Your Heart Be Also

Where is your treasure? What is most important to you in your life? If you can find that one thing, you will find where your heart is.

Elder Brent H. Nielson

2nd Counselor, Pacific Area Presidency

February 2011 Message

When the Saviour Jesus Christ was on the earth he spoke to his disciples about their hearts. In Matthew 6:19-21 he said:

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

As I have reflected upon that scripture, I have felt that the Saviour is teaching me that if I follow the "treasure", or the thing that is most important to me, that is where I will find my heart. This is significant doctrine worth pondering.

Think for just a moment about the things that are most important to you today. As we look in modern society at those things that appear to be most important to the world, we see things such as cars, music, money, shopping, clothes, sports and recreation. It appears that is where most people find their treasure. As the Saviour taught us, if we follow that treasure, we will also find our heart.

I have found it humbling in my life to be around people when they know they are about to die. This is a very unique experience. My father was diagnosed with cancer and given just three months to live. My family and I spent many hours with him during those three months. Interestingly, I didn't hear him say once, "I wish I had earned more money; I wish I had a fancier car; I wish I had played more sports." What he did wish, was that he had spent more time with his family and friends. He did wish that he had given more of himself to his community, to his church and to those in need.

A young LDS man, also diagnosed with cancer at the age of 18, kept a journal during the last few months of his life. Eight days before he died he wrote: "I have had constant pain for many months. I have not told my parents about all the pain since I don't want them to worry. One week ago I could walk. Now I lay helpless on this hospital bed. I used to be able to play basketball and football, drive my car, mow the lawn for our neighbour and carry in the groceries for my mother. Those things seem so distant yet so tender. If only I could have been of better service. My soul is mortified at how slow I have been to serve others – how selfish I have been. I wish all men could learn from my mistakes."

What can we learn from these examples about what we treasure? With just a few days to live my Father and this young man were concerned about friends, family and serving other people. As we examine the things that were most important to them; where their treasure was, can we also find their heart?

The Saviour also taught his disciples another interesting lesson in Matthew 25:35-40:

"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

I am sure someday you and I will have a similar experience when we report to the Saviour our earthly stewardship. His words for our day may be more like, "I was alone after my husband died and you visited me; I had lost my job, and needed help and you shared with me; I was sick, and you came and blessed me; the Bishop called and asked for you to serve and you responded in the affirmative; your children needed you at home, and you left your sports and recreation to be with them; Your husband or wife needed your time and you gave it." The Saviour's response will be the same, "As you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

While on the earth, the Saviour taught five different times in, Matthew 10:39, Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24 and Luke 17:33, "He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life shall find it".

What the Saviour was teaching is that as we lose our lives in the service of other people, we truly find our lives eternally. If on the other hand we find our lives by focusing only upon ourselves, we lose our lives eternally.

What this means from a very personal perspective, is that those times when we find ourselves lonely or upset, it may be because we are focusing too much on ourselves. When we help someone who is less fortunate and reach out to them, in the process we will lift not only them but we lift ourselves. If you lose your life in the service of others, you will find it.

Where is your treasure? What is most important to you in your life? If you can find that one thing, you will find where your heart is. It is my humble prayer that your treasure will be your love for the Saviour, your love for your spouse and children, and your love for your fellowman. If that is where your treasure is, then your heart will be there also.