Matthew 6:24,25
Stop.
Take a deep breath. As you breathe in say, “I have enough.” As you breathe out say, “You will provide.” Repeat as many times as you need.
Listen.
No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. – Matthew 6:24
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? – Matthew 6:25
Reflect.
Far too often, we separate these two verses from Matthew’s gospel. They both come in the context of a much larger teaching from Jesus, so admittedly, we’ve got to break somewhere. But when we pull these two verses apart, we make them into something that doesn’t quite make the whole truth clear.
We hear verse 24 as a caution against loving money too much. We’ve all heard many a bad sermon trying to softball Jesus’ clear statement: “You cannot serve God and wealth.” Or, conversely, we’ve heard this verse as part of a larger request to part with our money in service of a cause. While the verse invites us to consider our relationship with money, this verse can easily be twisted into something like: if you don’t give us your money, you obviously love money too much and don’t love God enough.
We usually hear verse 25 in a completely other context, absolutely divided from its original setting. When we hear verse 25 without verse 24, it becomes part of a “don’t worry, be happy” sermon. Your life doesn’t really matter that much, right? God will take care of you!
Notice the word therefore. You cannot serve God and wealth, therefore, don’t worry about your life. You can’t serve two masters, therefore, remember that life is more than food. The two statements come together.
When we consider our relationship with money and how God calls us to use it, we remember that we walk a delicate but essential line. We cannot and will not worry and obsess about it too much, because money is but one of God’s many gifts and God has promised to care for us. However, we also realize the power money has to glorify God, care for our neighbors, and provide for our own needs. We hold all these things together and recognize money for the meaningful tool and gift from God that it is.
Therefore, we know that we are free to share God’s good gifts – including our money – without fear and in joy. We continue to worship and praise God by talking about, praying about, and maintaining a right relationship with our money. Financial stewardship is an act of bold faith.
Pray.
God, I confess that I get my relationship with money all wrong. I either worry about it too much or make it into more than it should be. By your grace, help me see money as a gift from you meant to do good in my life, my neighbor’s life, and the life of your church. Amen.
Carry On.
We received Statements Of Intent in worship on Sunday. Have you turned yours in yet? Take time to pray and consider how you’ll participate if you haven’t yet.