I’m currently teaching through a sermon series on money, stewardship, and giving. As you might imagine, when the preacher starts talking about money, everyone tends to tense up a little bit. Have you ever noticed that, someone starts asking for money and everyone grips their pocketbook a little bit tighter? So if it makes everyone a little uncomfortable, why in the world would I willingly talk about money and giving?

Well, let’s look at why Jesus talked so much about money. The Gospels are littered with Jesus’ many teachings on money, but it wasn’t because Jesus needed the money. In fact, when God asks you to give, it’s not because He’s poor or He needs a loan. The truth is, the money is already His. God owns everything. So why does God ask us to give to Him if He already owns everything? Because God doesn’t want your money, He wants your heart, and your money is the quickest way to your heart. Here’s what Jesus said,

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

We know this to be true in our own lives. We spend money on what we value and what we’re passionate about. Our heart follows our money and our money follows our heart. So when we’re intentional to give to God, we do it because we want our hearts to follow our money. Since our affections follow our investments, when we invest by giving back to God, we’re paving the quickest way for our hearts to be filled not with the temporary happiness of another purchase, but with the eternal joy that comes from being with God.

God’s never wanted your money. He doesn’t need it because it’s all His anyways. God wants you to give to Him because He wants your heart, and God knows your heart follows your money.