Serving Two Masters by Jennifer Tiszai

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:24 (NIV)

Money is highly symbolic. It doesn’t just serve as a way to turn the hours we put in on the job into food on the table and the clothes on our backs. It represents power, security, and yes, love. These are the very issues at the heart of every relationship.

In this verse God says that money can be our master. This is an important point. If you are making the acquisition and spending of money the main focus of your life, money is your master and you cannot serve God. The purpose of our lives is to serve God and to pursue His goals for us. If we over value money it will hamper our relationship with God. We cannot pursue God and money both.

Secondly, if we don’t put money in its proper perspective it ruins our relationships with others. The number one topic married people fight about is money. To many people it represents love, security, and power. When we look to money to satisfy these needs rather than God, or God given relationships like marriage, we are serving money, not God.

This passage does not say that it is wrong to have money. Rather, we need to examine our hearts to see who we are serving. Are we seeking God’s favor or man’s? Are we looking to God for love and security or our bank account? God knows our hearts and motives and He wants them all focused on Him. The pursuit of anything that distracts us from God is wrong and hinders our relationship with God and those close to us.

Consider your thoughts and feelings about money. What does it represent to you? Do you rely on it for love, power, or security? Consider how much of your time is spent pursuing money versus pursuing God. Is there an imbalance that needs to be corrected? Commit to surrendering your money and possessions to God and to seeking His will for those resources in your life.