Making Heaven Crowded
Luke 12:33-34 explained: where your treasure is
Jesus links two things most people keep apart: what we hold on to and what we love. He says the first points to the second.
Give, and let your treasure move
In Luke 12:33-34, Jesus tells his disciples to sell what they have and give to the needy, and to make themselves purses that do not wear out, a treasure in heaven that never runs out, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. He closes with a line about the heart: where your treasure is, there your heart will be as well. The verses come at the end of a long teaching about worry and possessions.
“Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:33-34 (KJV)
After the rich fool
Luke 12 begins with a man asking Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute. Jesus refuses to referee and tells the story of a rich farmer who builds bigger barns and dies that night (verses 13-21). He then speaks of ravens and lilies, and tells his followers not to worry about food and clothes (verses 22-31).
Verse 32 is a gentle line: do not fear, little flock, because the Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Verses 33 and 34 follow directly from it, which means the call to give is anchored in security, not scarcity. Paul gives Timothy a similar charge for the wealthy in 1 Timothy 6:17-19, telling them to be rich in good works and ready to share instead of trusting uncertain riches.
Sell and give alms
The Greek word translated alms means acts of mercy toward the needy. Jesus pictures giving as moving wealth from a place where it can be lost to a place where it cannot. Moths and thieves were the two standard dangers for stored goods in the ancient world, so the contrast with a treasure that cannot be damaged is easy to see.
The line about purses that do not grow old makes the same point. Money in a bag will wear out the bag, but what is given in mercy is kept safe.
What is and is not being asked
Christians have debated how literally to apply “sell that ye have” to every believer. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus gives similar direct commands to particular people, and elsewhere he praises Zacchaeus for giving half. Readers on different sides agree that the main point is a change in what the heart is attached to.
The verse does not promise earthly return for generosity, and it does not suggest that people should neglect their families. It names the heart as the thing at stake. A person who gives freely reveals, and builds, a different set of loves.
Treasure and the open hand
Luke 19:1-10 shows a man who gave away half his goods after meeting Jesus. The change in his heart came first, and the giving followed.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 pairs generosity with a free decision made in advance, not under pressure. Both passages treat giving as a response, not a payment.
Giving at any size
The give page offers Zelle, card, PayPal, Cash App and mailed check, and the page on the ways to donate explains that Zelle and check carry no processing fee. Card checkout uses preset amounts of $25, $50, $100, $250 and $500, and any other amount goes through the other methods.
Anyone who wants to confirm how a gift is treated before giving can read the page on whether a gift is tax-deductible, and the impact numbers show where past gifts have gone. For people without money to spare, the non-monetary ways to help page lists time, prayer and sharing.
Luke 12:33-34, answered plainly
- What does Luke 12:33-34 mean?
- Jesus tells his disciples to sell their possessions and give to the needy, and to store treasure in heaven where it cannot be lost. He explains that the heart follows the treasure.
- Does Jesus require everyone to sell everything?
- Believers disagree on how literally to apply it. Most agree the point is detachment from possessions and generosity toward the needy, and not a rule that applies the same way to every household.
- What are alms?
- Alms are gifts of mercy given to the poor. The Greek word is related to the word for compassion.
- What is treasure in heaven?
- It is what Jesus describes as safe from thieves and decay: the lasting value of mercy shown now. The passage does not say precisely what form it takes.
- How can I give through Making Heaven Crowded?
- The give page lists Zelle, card, PayPal, Cash App and check, and the donate items page lists supplies. The non-monetary ways to help page covers time and prayer.
Read the passages on Bible Gateway (King James Version): Luke 12:13-34, Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 6:19-21.
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