God-centered Hearts

The religious leaders were on a consistent mission to discredit Jesus. Jesus’ messages and teachings challenged the fabric of what the religious leaders had built their lives on. It exposed the leaders for their hardened hearts and brought judgment and criticisms of some of their long standing traditions that had long lost the heart behind them. Their goal was to hold Jesus out to be a blasphemer which would quickly discredit Him in the eyes of the Jews and end Jesus’ ministry. However, Jesus could see beyond the religious leader’s crafty questions and knew their real intent was not to understand, but to trap Him. He knew their hearts had hardened and that their motives were not aligned with the Father’s Kingdom. The religious leaders’ interest remained in their own position, wealth and reputation, not in truth.

The religious leaders had a greater problem than intellectual doubt. They rebelled against God’s control over their life. If Jesus was truly the Son of God, they would have to abandon their prestige and position and take up their cross daily and follow Jesus’ path (Luke 9:23). What a sacrifice this would have been for these leaders. They had all the material possessions the world had to offer. They were revered and respected. In Matthew 19:23-24 Jesus said:
“I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. “I’ll say it again – it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.”

The religious leaders are a perfect example of this teaching. It is much more difficult for someone who has whatever they could want or desire in the world to give up these materialistic things to follow Jesus’ path than someone who has nothing. When you have a lot, it is hard to imagine living with a little. However, those who have nothing have much less to lose and can make it much easier to give up their possessions and pick up their cross.
You might be asking if that means you must be poor to follow Jesus. Jesus does not want you to be poor. In fact, many men of God were extremely wealthy including Solomon who is believed to be the richest man that ever lived. While Jesus has no objection to wealth, He wants to ensure that there is nothing that comes between you and God. We should be willing to give up anything God asks us to. If you hold tight to your possessions and wealth and do not have a heart of giving, your wealth may get in the way of your relationship with God. It is important to not let wealth become your God. Jesus cares about your heart and not your money. However, if your heart is focused on your money, it cannot also be focused on Jesus.

It is important to take time for self-reflection and to check our hearts. Ask yourself, if God were to take all your wealth from you tomorrow, how might you react? Would you find yourself bitter and resentful? If so, then you have found identity in your wealth and it has become your idol, replacing God’s rightful place in your heart. Your wealth should not define who you are. Our identity is in Jesus and Jesus alone. If God has placed a calling on your life to walk away from your wealth, would you be willing to forfeit it all for His calling? Jesus knew that wealth could easily become a barrier to what He might call us to do.  

The religious leaders were clearly not ready to accept God’s calling and repent from their sinful and selfish way. It is important that we understand where our hearts are rooted and that our hearts do not become hardened to the things of God’s Kingdom. Check your heart to make sure that God is at the center and confirm that your wealth has not taken over.

Prayer: Dear Lord, soften my heart to the things of Your Kingdom. Help me to see and discern when wealth may get in the way of my relationship with You. I want to remain open to your calling. Help me to find my identity in You and not in wealth and prestige. Help me to be a gracious giver. Thank you for the blessings You have given me. I pray that I can be a good steward of the resources You have blessed me with. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.