Who Is Actually Running Your Life?
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and mammon.” — Matthew 6:24
Imagine starting a new job and discovering you have two bosses… and they disagree on almost everything. Every decision becomes a minefield. Every instruction leaves you wondering which one to follow. It’s exhausting, paralysing, and ultimately impossible.
That, says Jesus, is exactly what you’re attempting when you try to serve God and money at the same time. Not have money, but serve it. There’s a difference. Money makes a wonderful servant but a terrible master. And Jesus says the two cannot share the throne of your life.
The word “mammon” was a common Aramaic term for material wealth and possessions. Matthew Henry observed that at its core, mammon is simply self — self-comfort, self-security, self-promotion. And self, served as a priority, will always compete with God.
So how do you know which master you’re actually serving? Here’s a useful diagnostic: you will sacrifice for your god.Whatever you consistently give up time, energy, relationships, and integrity for, that is what rules you. People work seventy-hour weeks, sacrificing their families, for money or promotion or the applause of others. Others sacrifice their honesty, for status. Others sacrifice their marriages, for comfort and ease.
None of this means that ambition or hard work is wrong. It means that when push comes to shove, only one thing can sit at the centre. And Jesus is clear: He will not share that seat. You cannot serve two masters.
The invitation here isn’t burdensome, it’s liberating. A life with one master, one aim, one allegiance is a life of remarkable freedom and clarity.
Consider: What is one area of your life where you sense a divided allegiance? What would it look like to bring that fully under God’s lordship this week?