The last few laps of a runner’s race are the most exciting—that’s when you’re getting close to your goal! They are also the most difficult, when it gets harder and harder to keep going. And they are also the most important, because without them, nothing else matters.
Even though our heavenly treasure won’t get ruined or stolen in heaven, that’s not the ultimate reason that we should store up our treasure there. According to Jesus, we need to store up our treasure in heaven, not on earth, because our hearts chase our treasure. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
Fasting and prayer are not easy. That’s why the hypocrites loved to show them off. But this passage shows us how this whole principle of “your best life later” applies to the spiritual disciplines. We embrace their difficulty, trusting in our Father's reward in the future.
The level of your obedience to Jesus' teaching is the level to which you believe His promises concerning rewards. “Trust and obey” always go together. If we trust His promises, we will be able to obey in secret. If we don’t believe, then we’ll go around begging for others to notice us.