Who Are You Gonna Serve?

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Scripture: Matthew 6:24 (NIV)

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Devotion:

            Bob Dylan had a hit single along the lines of today’s scripture. No matter who you are or how exalted a state you are in you are going to serve somebody. Even if you have many people serving you, you will in your turn serve someone else. President Joe Biden, Elon Musk, any world, political, businessperson you can name they are all are serving someone. Perhaps it’s not a person but a thing. Like money in this scripture verse.

            It is essential to note that the Greek word translated servant here. Is translated slave in many other places. We are not just servants to the things/people that control us. We are absolute slaves to those things that hold us in their iron grip.

            Now a person can be slave to many harmful and dangerous things. Drugs, alcohol, sex, fighting among many others. (A more exhaustive list can be found in 2 Timothy 3:1-9) Being enslaved to one of these vices will ultimately lead to harm to yourself or to others.

Many of the things that come from enslavement to money look attractive on the outside. I once was promoted to a job that paid me a lot of money, in a matter of months I was enslaved to that job and was neglecting my marriage, family, and spiritual life. As I fought this addiction I lost my marriage, family, and what everyone around me called the good life. No matter what I did I could never make things right again on my own.

Fortunately, God never gives up on people. He desires everyone to be saved, even a wretch like me. Serving God alone has been a lifesaver for me. Thankfully, God led me down the right path. He continues to challenge me to step out further and further with him. Encouraging me to never give up the fight for whatever is good, true, and beautiful.

So, I encourage you, as God has encouraged me, to pursue things that bring our Maker praise. Let us reject sin of all kinds and seek to live according to God’s laws. We must strive to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, soul, and strength and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. If we do these things, we will truly have kept all the laws and commandments. May it be that as others see our good conduct the will be enticed to join us in this revival of the Christian Church.

Prayer:

            Lord help us to choose the correct master for or lives. God is calling out for our obedience and dedication to His holy paths. Forgive us Father when we have chosen lesser masters. May you be glorified in all that you do in and through our lives. Amen. 

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