Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
“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.” (Matt 6:24 NIV84) [see these verses in their context below]
The wretchedness of slavery
The scourge of slavery is a blight on world history. Different forms of slavery have existed throughout the world over the centuries. Today, we tend to think of more current forms of slavery like sweatshop work conditions and human and sex trafficking.
But there was a time in history when people—living souls—were kidnapped, bought, and sold as possessions. Slavery dehumanizes a person. It also exalts those who enslave people as masters in an evil and distorted sense.
During the Roman Empire, estimates vary on the percentage of the population who were slaves but it increased as the empire aged and began to crumble from moral decay. Slavery included indentured servants within public roles, agricultural workers, and domestic slaves or servants.
No one. No human ought to be enslaved by another person. And no one deserves to be in the role of a master. It is immoral and evil. And yet, enslavement has existed through the ages and continues to exist today in many forms.
Bondage in any form and the enslavement of others is the direct result of humanity’s rebellion against God when the first humans tried to usurp God’s role and power (Gen 3:1-7).
America is touted as the freest and wealthiest nation in the world. For the most part, I’ve seen this verified with my own travels to many parts of the world and life overseas.
But here’s the paradox—though we (Americans) may possess great wealth and freedom, we are enslaved to it all in various ways. I’ve addressed this before. All we possess tends to possess us as its master rather than the opposite.
This is not a new reality, it is an age-old truth. Either we serve a benign and sovereign God by trusting in Him by faith, or we are enslaved to the dark tyranny of possessions and wealth. There is no middle ground.
Insights to consider
The people of Israel, in the time of Jesus, understood the roles of master and slave or servant. Many, if not most, free citizens of the Roman Empire had slaves. Jews who were rich also had servants and slaves.
Even today in most of the world, class distinctions and stations in life are respected and understood. As Americans living in the Philippines, we had to adjust to this cultural reality. Though we never expected or required it, we were always addressed by our titles related to our roles in life. Never by our first names.
Americans and most westerners bristle at the idea of anyone acting as a master towards us. And yet, our early history is marred by the scourge of slavery, where human souls were bought and sold by people who claimed to be their masters. Some of these so-called masters also claimed to be Christians.
Perhaps our fierce sense of individualism blinds us to how we become enslaved to our possessions and wealth, as well as our pursuit of such things and more.
American culture is enslaved to consumerism and enamored with entrepreneurism.
Those who are most successful and influential assume a sense of superiority over others less so. And those who have yet to attain the same success and influence, exalt, flatter, and pursue those who seem to have it all—wealth, power, and influence.
The religious leaders of Israel were blind to their own enslavement. They deceived themselves. They were deluded by their own arrogance and self-righteousness. Jesus uncovered this for all to see. Only those blinded by their self-deception couldn’t see it.
True Faith
Jesus states a simple truth— ”No one can serve two masters.”
It’s a double-edged dilemma. Neither the masters—whatever or whoever they may be—nor the person enslaved, would be able to maintain this pull in two opposite directions.
First of all, the master will not tolerate it. The master expects and will demand a singular commitment.
The Lord told this to His people Israel (Deut 4:24). God’s jealousy for Israel wasn’t human jealousy born out of insecurity but a purifying one. He is a consuming fire. The Lord wants the devotion of our whole heart. It’s a matter of fidelity and loyalty in relationship with Him.
Greed, materialism, fame, lust, and any other form of self-exaltation or self-gratification are all-consuming in a destructive way. Such things will never be satisfied nor fulfill the person driven by them. They are tyrannical masters who will never be appeased or satisfied.
In other Bible versions, it says— ”You cannot serve God and mammon”—rather than “…money” (Matt 6:24 NKJV). The general idea of mammon is materialism or wealth personified. In other words, what we personally hold as valuable, whether we are rich or poor.
Jesus explains the other side of this dilemma for us. We will either “hate the one and love the other,” or we will be “devoted to the one and despise the other.”
This was played out and illustrated over and over again throughout the history of Israel. I believe Jesus alludes to this as an indictment of the Jewish religious leaders who were religious elitists—self-righteous and arrogant.
Jesus later described them as “whitewashed tombs,” having a clean outward appearance but dead and decayed on the inside (Matt 23:27-28).
The element of devotion is perhaps the most telling. Here is where self-delusion exists for us as believers.
What is our truest devotion?
We can confess Christ as our savior and call Jesus our Lord but is He? To whatever we devote our time, energy, actions, thoughts, and even our imagination reveals who or what is our master. In a practical sense, what we actually put our trust in on a daily basis or in a time of crisis also reveals this.
Are we more committed or devoted to a life of comfort and security than to following Jesus? The answer becomes apparent by our willingness and commitment to deny our selfish nature and die to ourselves.
The apostles James and John help to put a fine point on all this when they remind us that love for this world puts us at odds with God (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15).
Who is your master?
Reflection—
Jesus states a simple truth— ”No one can serve two masters.” To whatever we devote our time, energy, actions, thoughts, and even our imagination reveals who or what is our master. There is no middle ground.
Prayer Focus—
When you find yourself enslaved to the tyranny of anything or anyone demanding your allegiance, turn to the Lord. Trust in Him as your master. He will honor your commitment and devotion to Him.
Devo Scripture Text
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
“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.”
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
(Matthew 6:19-34 NIV84)