DEVOTION OR DISGUISE?
Micah Smith
Today's Scripture: "No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money." Matthew 6:24
Theme: Having the right perspective about Who we serve helps us to take our next right step.
DIVIDED LOYALTY IS DISLOYALTY
Jesus wastes no time cutting to the heart of human nature with surgical precision in this verse – where He makes two very clear points: The first - “No one can serve two masters”. He's not suggesting that serving two masters is difficult or unwise – He's declaring it impossible. This isn't about balance; it's about betrayal. Divided loyalty, no matter how we dress it up, is disloyalty disguised as wisdom.
This theme echoes throughout Scripture. Back during the Exodus, God commanded the Israelites, "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3, NIV). Later, Elijah confronted Israel's attempt to hedge their spiritual bets: "How long will you go limping between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him" (1 Kings 18:21, ESV). The Israelites wanted the security of keeping their options open, but Elijah – like Jesus centuries later – exposed this as spiritual compromise, not spiritual wisdom.
THE MONEY TRAP
While the Old Testament tells a "will-they, won't-they" story of Israel's relationship with God, Jesus identifies something deeper and more universal: our love affair with money... which takes us to our second key point of this verse: You cannot serve God and money. But it's not just the cash itself – it's what we believe money can provide. Security for our families, respect from our peers, happiness through possessions--the latest gaming setup, or that dream home. Money becomes the vehicle for our self-reliance, moving us from faith in God to faith in our own efforts and outcomes. (Read that again and let it sink in... I’m guilty here too...)
The Greek word Jesus uses for "despise" is kataphroneó, which means "to look down on with contempt." This reveals something chilling: serving money doesn't just quietly distract us from God – it actively distorts our view of Him. When money becomes our master, God's ways start looking restrictive, foolish, or less appealing than the "freedom" that financial security promises. We begin to see God's guidance as outdated advice from someone who doesn't understand our modern complexities or how accomplished we really are. And if we’re not careful, our “faith-in-God” can become more of a nice to have, when we’re really living our lives by “faith-in-self.”
Make it Personal: What do your bank account, your schedule, and your worry patterns reveal about who you're really serving? If money (and what it provides) is competing for your devotion, remember that Jesus isn't calling you to poverty – He's calling you to perspective. Who gets your ultimate allegiance: the God who owns everything, or the money that owns nothing but pretends to own you?
Pray: Father, forgive me for the times I've tried to serve You while secretly trusting in money for my security and significance. Help me see clearly when financial concerns are pulling my heart away from You. Give me the courage to make decisions based on Your guidance rather than my bank balance, and remind me daily that You are my true provider and security. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Read: Matthew 6:19-34
Weekly Memory Verse: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1, ESV