March Like Jesus
… In Handling Our Money – Part II
Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:19-34
Key Verse: Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Most of us “churchies” have read or heard of our Key Verse for today. We normally focus on the word “master”, which is an important word. However, we should focus more on the word “love”.
Jesus is reminding people that one cannot serve two masters, for if someone or something has your love, that love becomes your master. We do not use the word “master” these days to describe what Jesus is saying, but we experience it.
For example, when we fall in love with someone, they are the center of our attention. When we are not around them, we are thinking of them. We do not look at other people of the opposite sex like we did before because we found the love of our lives. If we perceive that they may not love us like we love them, we are miserable and we cannot focus on other things.
In a very real sense, we are a slave to that person. Our love has made them a “master” over us. A friend who is trying to be helpful might say to us “there are other fish in the sea”. But that does not help. While this love masters us, there cannot be any other “master”.
This example hopefully helps us understand what Jesus is saying. No one can serve two masters; it just does not happen. When money masters you no one else can compete. We simply cannot serve both God and money!
Our goal, as Christ-followers, is to be so in love with God that nothing, including money, can compete with our love for God. We want to be “slaves” of God, making Him the master over us! Once we have the “light” of God in us, we can see that everyone has a master over them. Our master may be things of this world or God; we must choose.
Going back to our example, once we decide to pursue someone for love, then we must take the initiative to start the process that hopefully leads to a love connection. So it is in our relationship with God. Once we decide that we want Him to be our master, then we must take the initiative to grow that love for Him.
It does not happen overnight but if we continue to seek Him and obey Him, we will grow a love that is stronger than any other love in this world.
Jesus is warning us not to think we can have two masters; it is simply not possible. One master always wins out in the end. Money will turn out to be a horrible task master, no matter how it starts out.
Jesus brings light and love into your live. His yoke is easy!
“Choose you this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15).
Father, I choose to serve You. Grant me strength to be faithful to You. In Jesus’s Name, amen.