Today, Jesus warns us against gathering up treasures on earth that will consume our minds, and instead, He tells us to “store up treasures in heaven,” which will not consume us (Matthew 6:19-20). In the culture of modern society, we are taught, often implicitly by comparing ourselves to others, to place value on how much we can accomplish and the materials that we can gain. We start to identify ourselves and our worth with how many things we can get; we forget that we will not be able to take any of those material things with us when we die. Focusing so much on earthly matters takes our focus away from what really matters: believing in God and authentically following Him. Jesus Christ gives us the opportunity to live in eternal life with Him, and we will get there by truly devoting ourselves to Him through faith and how we live. When we set our eyes so heavily upon the material of the earth, we neglect to devote time to immersing ourselves in faith in God; we neglect relationship with Him. Jesus tells us that “for where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Matthew 6:21). Be sure not to place your heart into the hands of this world, which will constantly leave you dissatisfied, but place it into the hands of Jesus, who gives life everlasting.
Similarly, Christ explains that “the lamp of the body is the eye,” and, if sound, it can fill the body with light (Matthew 6:22). By necessity, that means that if the eye is not sound, it can fill the body with darkness (Matthew 6:23). We must resolve to fix our eyes on what is good; we must focus our attention on how God works in the world, even in the midst of affliction. Even when bad things are happening, it is possible to notice how God is working too. When we allow ourselves to focus on this, we will be able to see Him more clearly; we will appreciate His love more. And that’s just it - when we ultimately focus on the love of God, we will be filled with light no matter what situation we are faced with.