Choose Your Master

Read: Matthew 6:24-34

No one can serve two masters. Matthew 6:24

IN WORD

Living in a Kingdom has plenty of implications for our lives, none bigger than this one: We live under a King. That has enormous benefits for us, but we don’t really get to experience all of them unless we understand both sides of the relationship. Not only is He our King, we are His subjects. That means we have chosen Him to be our master and have decided to consider His words of far greater import than anyone else’s. We have chosen His agenda, His purposes, His ways.

Every choice has its opportunity costs. When we choose to invest our time in one thing, we are choosing not to invest it in something else. When we spend money on something, we have chosen not to spend it on something different. So when we choose to follow God as our King, we have chosen not to follow other masters. That explains why Jesus doesn’t simply say, “Don’t follow two masters.” He says we can’t. It isn’t possible to hold two differing agendas in highest esteem. One will inevitably become subordinate to the other.

In the Kingdom we have chosen, we necessarily rule out all conflicting claims on our lives. We can pursue money, but only for what it can do as Kingdom collateral in supporting our lives, furthering God’s purposes, and blessing others. We can pursue status, but only for the influence it gives us as Kingdom ambassadors in this world. We can seek relationships, but only in the context of the King’s character and integrity and for His purposes of reaching human beings with His love. In all, it’s a pretty simple lifestyle. Having only one master tends to clarify a lot of things.

IN DEED

Money is a complicated master. So are status, pleasure, and fame. All of these are usually substitutes we use for finding our identity or getting people to affirm us. But choosing God as master makes life much less complicated—not easier, but more streamlined. We receive everything we need from Him; we give everything we have to Him. And we serve without the pressure of satisfying a difficult master.

ADDITIONAL READING: 1 Timothy 6:9-10

I will place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the Kingdom of Christ.

DAVID LIVINGSTONE