Live Your Life in Light of the Next
“An eternal perspective changes whose approval we pursue.”
Imagine a rope stretching farther than you can see. At one end, a small section is marked with colored tape. That little section represents your life on earth. The rest represents eternity.
Now consider how much energy we spend arranging, protecting, and improving that little section.
What would change if we kept our whole existence in view when making decisions, setting financial priorities, and practicing spiritual habits? As C.S. Lewis said, “you have never talked to a mere mortal.” All of us will exist beyond this life. Do we live with that in mind?
Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches about the kingdom of heaven, heavenly rewards, and eternal judgment. We cannot understand His teaching without considering more than our earthly existence. His words invite us to live our lives in light of the next.
Who Is Your Audience?
In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus warns against fasting for human attention. The hypocrites looked gloomy and disfigured their faces so others would notice their spiritual devotion. Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward” (Matthew 6:16).
They wanted recognition, and recognition was what they received.
Jesus tells His followers to wash their faces and anoint their heads—to practice ordinary hygiene instead of advertising their discomfort. Their fasting was to be directed toward their Father, who sees in secret.
Louis A. Barbieri Jr. captures the contradiction: “Fasting emphasized the denial of the flesh, but the Pharisees were glorifying their flesh by drawing attention to themselves.”
We can fall into the same trap. Even our efforts to seek God can become opportunities to draw attention to ourselves. We give, pray, or serve while quietly hoping someone notices.
But true spirituality does not need human recognition to be worthwhile. The Father sees.
Fasting makes us physically aware of our spiritual reality: we are needy and dependent on God’s provision. As hunger increases, we learn to seek Him instead of immediately satisfying every desire. We practice dependence on our heavenly Father until the day we see Him in glory.
An eternal perspective changes whose approval we pursue.
What Has Your Heart?
Jesus then turns to treasure:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
—Matthew 6:19–20
Your treasure is whatever has the strongest hold on your heart. What you treasure is what you pursue. To treasure something is to put it at the top of your priority list.
That treasure might be money, career, reputation, children, vacations, or hobbies. These things do not have to be sinful to take a place in our hearts that belongs to God.
Whatever our treasure is becomes the direction of our lives.
Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Our priorities reveal what we value, and our investments draw our hearts further in that direction.
Treasuring earthly things can exhaust us as we try to secure what we cannot keep. Careers end. Possessions deteriorate. Reputations shift. Even the things we successfully protect cannot follow us beyond the grave.
Jesus invites us to pursue treasure that will last. Generosity becomes an opportunity to invest what God has entrusted to us—our money, time, abilities, attention, and energy—in what matters eternally.
What would your priorities reveal about the treasure of your heart?
Who Is Your Master?
Jesus brings the issue into focus: “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
Money has a powerful allure because it promises what we long for: security, happiness, status, and freedom. We begin treating it as something worthy of our trust.
Money may be becoming your master when you cannot stop comparing yourself with others, cannot enjoy what you have, or assume that more money would solve every problem. It may be your master when you cannot stop working, even at the expense of your family.
Serving your heavenly Master means putting money in its proper place. Use money to serve God.
The desire for reward, lasting satisfaction, and security is not wrong. But our flesh insists, “I want it now.” Jesus calls us to trust our Father enough to wait.
When you are tempted to chase approval, remember eternity. When you are tempted to cling to possessions, remember eternity. When money promises a security it cannot deliver, remember eternity.
What would obedience look like today if you trusted that your Father sees, His treasures endure, and His promises are secure?
When we live in light of the next life, we become free to honor God with this one.
Discover how an eternal perspective transforms your priorities, generosity, and devotion to God in this reflection on Matthew 6:16–24.