What master rules your life? If you’re worried about paying the bills or saving enough money, the first thing you do reveals who you serve. Those who come to God in prayer and fully trust in His provision serve our Lord. Those who sit in fear and toil for self-sufficiency are enslaved by money. As Jesus says in this verse, you can only serve one master and the other you will despise. Do your actions show a despisal for the Creator of the Universe?
This verse isn’t meant to clothe you in shame. Anxiety around financial security is a sad reality for many of us, and it isn’t a personal failing. Though He takes a tough love approach, Christ is simply shepherding us away from a false idol—money—and toward our one true safety—God.
Think of it this way: You can either pursue God or pursue money. You won’t “hate” God if you’re loving money, but you won’t be showing Him the whole-hearted devotion He demands. We are called to love our Lord with all our heart, soul and mind. If just one is distracted with finances, we’re missing the mark on Christ’s most critical commandment.
There aren’t many worldly riches attached to building God’s kingdom. Those doing His work don’t usually jet off in luxury planes to spread the Gospel on their private islands. We work in office buildings, classrooms, construction sites. We work for the betterment of God’s kingdom by speaking His great name in the quiet places it’s never been muttered. Pursuing God’s purpose means putting aside the comforts of this world and chasing after the riches of heaven.
The alternative is to pursue money. Work a job you hate, step over people for a promotion, speak lies and venomous words to turn a profit. This isn’t to say wealth and prosperity are inherently evil, but when they are our primary focus, how could we keep our eyes on God? Idols were crafted by Satan so that we may stumble on our way to heaven and ultimately lose our way. Money is a vessel God can use to build His kingdom. Instead of letting it rule your life, make God the master over your money.
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