God is a much better Master than wealth

'No slave 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.' Luke 16: 12-13

Just imagine what it means to have wealth as our Master. As our Master what does wealth require of us? It requires us to serve it, to put it first, to depend upon it, to see its way as the primary way in the world: to see it as the ultimate good. And wealth is not just possessions but also power. It is alluring. Can we make decisions that are free of the fear from poverty? Can we make decisions that are free from the fear of having less? If we are frightened of material lack then wealth is our Master. Wealth may ask anything of us: To oppress others, to misuse others, to harm others, to be dishonest, to steal from others, to squander another’s property, to do anything in order to keep securing wealth.

Imagine a world in which wealth is the Master of the majority of people. What does it look like? How does it feel to be in such a world? How do people treat each other?

Just imagine what it means to have God as our Master.

What does God require of us? That we love him with our whole heart and love our neighbour as ourselves. He too wants us to serve him, to put him first. Do we make decisions that put God’s values first? He will never require us to harm others, or to harm ourselves, although he might require us to sacrifice many things for the greater good. Imagine a world in which God is the Master, what does it look like?

Jesus had God as his Master, his true Master and what he did was out of allegiance to him. He never hurt another in order for unjust gain. Rather, he sacrificed is life in order that we might live. God asks much of us who love him. It is not easy to have God as our Master, but if we do we will enter a world of infinite goodness, where all people are valued and restored. Have the faith to follow God and renounce wealth. Wealth is THE competitor with God. It is our greatest temptation.

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