Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
I struggle with this verse.
While there are no slaves in Nicaragua, nor in America, we do serve a Master. We either serve GOD, or someone or something else. Money is just one of theways we ‘serve’. We vote for our master with dollars. Where your money goes is probably a pretty good indicator of who you are serving.
I work a secular job (or two) to provide for my family and our ministry of helping children who are living below the poverty level in Nicaragua. I am trying to make money, AND live by faith at the same time. *We spend a LOT more than I make, so the difference comes in from donations*. We only get a few steady donations, the rest are sporadic. Also my pay as a salesman is inconsistent. And, the bills and money we spend are totally unpredictable. An accountant’s nightmare. We have medical and legal emergencies, stuff breaks, lots of unexpected things happen when you are trying to really keep an open door and to serve others.
When you work for money, and need money to take care of your wife and kids AND feed and educate poor children, it is hard to distinguish between servingthe Lord and serving money. This is something I feel that God just showed me. It would be easy to serve only money. The fact that we don’t have any savings nor insurance, EVER, means that we spend it on others, for God’s glory and honor. That is the litmus test. Everything you have eventually goes to who your true master is.
My good friend Mirna Duarte Flores recently said, ‘Money is just a tool to use to serve your master better.’
Matt 4:10. Deut 6;13 and Josh 24:14 all say the same thing, When God repeats something 3 times, it’s pretty important.
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve.
So, if you have to serve a master, why not choose a master who loves you and serves you?
Please keep us in your prayers.
Dean Peters