None of us can serve two masters and serve them well. Yeshua teaches about true wealth and the pitfalls of pursuing financial gain as a master in Matthew 6.
19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23“But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
There are a number of important points.
- Treasure on earth is temporary and subject to theft or deterioration over time. Treasure in heaven lasts forever. Think about that. It is very easy to focus on our lives today and over the next few decades, and very easy to overlook eternity. However, eternity will last forever and our lives are short compared to that standard. Which then is more important?
- Our hearts and our minds will go to where we store our treasure. We will either store it up in heaven and focus on the LORD and His will, or we will focus on storing up financial gain in this world and lose focus on Him.
- Keep in mind that Yeshua is not saying it is bad to have money. Abraham had money. David had money. We must not let money become our master, whom we serve. Rather, we should be master over our money and use it to do the LORD’s will.
- Barnes commentary provides interesting perspective on how to consider verse 22. Our eyes and what we focus on will help guide and direct our bodies. If we put our eyes to the Father and His will, our whole body will move in the right direction. If, on the other hand, we focus on our money as our goal or keep shifting focus between God and money, then we will not see well what the Father is calling us to do. We will be at best distracted and splitting focus. At worst, we pursue the wrong thing.
A few additional scriptures that come to mind as relevant:
14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
10For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Do not think that this concept only applies to money. It applies basically to anything that competes for our attention and focus with our Father. Even seemingly good things, like ministry or family members can be damaging to our walk if we place them as our primary focus and goal in the place which should be reserved for only the Father. Ask yourself, “Whom or what do you serve?” Be honest. What drives your actions and focus? Most of us probably have more than one thing.
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