Verse: Matthew 6:24
24 “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
I’ve been really interested in “social norms” lately. There is an entire set of rules that humans follow every day, often without even realizing it. These rules can be subject to where you live in the world, your gender, and other characteristics that we are born into. For example, why do we shake hands in greeting? Why is it polite to make small talk with others? Why did people stop wearing suits and dresses everywhere? It’s hard to figure out the intricacies of human behavior. But throughout time, money has always been tied to human nature and these norms.
Historically, the struggles of the wealthy and poor have been printed onto our history. Money has motivated people. Money has discouraged people. Money can have power in our life if we let it. This is where the teachings of Jesus come into play.
“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.”
In many cultures, the pursuit of wealth often dictates social norms and behaviors. However, Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:24 reminds us that true fulfillment comes from serving God, not money. The values and priorities of these two masters are fundamentally opposed.
I’m not sure how Godly it is to admit how much I love reality TV, but I can’t get enough of these Netflix series that show humans’ true colors. One show, in particular, called “The Trust,” illustrates this perfectly. The concept of the show is that there is a large sum of money in a Trust. The cast that is a part of this Trust can vote people out of it anonymously with the largest vote. But if everybody chooses not to vote, the money will be equally shared. So, the more people that you successfully vote out of the Trust, the more money you get.
What I found especially interesting is a Christian cast member on the show who seems to have Matthew 6:24 mastered. He spends the entire show sticking to his beliefs, demonstrating that the values of God mean more to him than any money he could win. And funny enough, people LOVE him for it! It was almost like a breath of fresh air in a world ruled by the deceitfulness of money.
Choosing God over money is not easy, but it is worth it in the end. Reflecting on social norms can help us understand the broader cultural forces at play, but aligning our hearts with God’s will brings true peace and fulfillment. Remember, there is nothing money can provide that God can’t.
So really think about it today: Are you just going along with some social norms, or are you truly making God the highest priority in your life? In life, you will have to make a choice at some point about who you are going to serve. It is much easier to make that choice ahead of time.
Author: Joanna Martin
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