Luke 12:34 Meaning of Where Your Treasure Is

Luke 12:34
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Explanation and Commentary of Luke 12:34

Preoccupation and worry about money is a joy-killer for most of the human race, rich or poor. How one spends money, and why, says a lot about the heart of a man or a woman. Do they think that the world is a place of scarcity and zero-sum? Then they will be miserly and afraid to give to others. But if they believe Jesus’s words about God’s provision and the abundant life, then they will see nothing to lose by being generous and giving freely of their money.

Jesus is also pointing out that our money and how we spend it speaks volumes about what we love, that is, where our hearts are. For instance, if you spend all your money on consumer goods that are marketed for the sake of showing status, it shows that you probably have an issue with status, the appearance of importance. If you spend all your money on clothes, then you obviously care a great deal about looking good. If you store up all your treasure for the future, it may mean that there is fear in your heart about retirement, and you probably spend a lot of time hoping in the future, when you can kick back and take it easy.

This also works in reverse. If you would like for your heart to be moved to a certain place, then put your money in that place. If you give a lot of your money away for the sake of Christ, that is, toward his mission, toward the poor, or some other biblical cause, then you will find your heart dwelling more and more on God, heaven, and the quality of your eternal existence. God intended at creation for mankind to exist with an abundance of resources. In such a world, generosity is easy. Jesus came to restore us to such a world, and by faith, we should grow in existing that way by being generous and trusting God.

Breaking Down the Key Parts of Luke 12:34

#1 “For…”
This connects the verse to the previous section that says to sell your possessions and give to the poor. Such a verse must be balanced with other verses that say to work to provide a living for oneself and one’s family (2 Thes 3:10; 1 Tim 5:8), and the simple logic that stewardship begins with care for your most basic possession, your own body.

#2 “…where your treasure is,”
What do you care about and what do you spend money on? That shows what is important to you.

#3 “there your heart will be also.”
In this context, the heart is the mind and hope. If your heart, your mind, and hope are in heaven, there will be evidence in your spending.

Bible Study on Luke 12:34

Expert Overview of Luke Ch. 10-24

Biblical Translations of Luke 12:34

NIV
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

NLT
“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

ESV
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

KJV
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

NKJV
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”