Our Scripture meditation is based on Luke 16:13, a key verse from next week’s Gospel Reading.
[13] No servant can serve two masters, for 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 God and money.”
Luke 16:13 is not in top tier of well-known Bible passages, but I dare say it’s in the second level. Yet as American Christians we still struggle with serving either God or money.
Wealth can be a complex issue for Christians. Many of us have vocational reasons earning money. Parents seek to provide for their children. Business owners and managers see their vocation as ensuring employees have secure jobs to support their families. Wealth allows Christians to practice generosity, especially supporting Gospel outreach and mercy ministry.
But there is a point where seeking wealth can become a form of idolatry. Instead of trusting God for our daily bread, we begin to bank on ourselves. As wealth accumulates, pride can subtlety take root. The more financial success we experience, the more we might justify seeking even greater wealth. In American society, this is usually defined as “success,” although the Bibilcal term “greed” could also apply.
The consequences of such idolatry can be debilitating. The sacrifice of family on the career altar. The accumulation of debt, manageable during the good times, becomes draining with a sudden career change. Our relationship with God becomes strained when personal identity is found in wealth instead of baptism.
The starting place to deal with struggles with wealth is addressing the root cause of the problem. We confess the sins of idolatry or greed or pride, receiving the promised forgiveness by God. With this divine motivation, we then repent. We seek God first, making wealth or money subservient to our Lord.
Until next week, the Lord bless and guide.
Kevin Wilson 360 