Matthew 6:19-24
Serving Two Masters
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Mark 10:17-22
Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler
17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One,that is, God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”
20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”
21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Luke 21:1-4
The Widow's Mite
1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
Jesus tells us interesting stories of money and its being an obstacle to God...It seems that in some of His teachings, He speaks on us staying away from wealth, and that faith for the poor maybe easier, or maybe being rich gets in the way of being close to God...And it seems as a paradox to the way most of us live...
God is a Master...And money is also seen in the eyes of Jesus as a master...Jesus teaches us that we cannot serve two masters...Where our treasures are is where our heart is...And our heart should be with God, The Master...
It is very hard for a rich man to follow Jesus and when He tells a rich, young man to sell all he has, the young man walks away sorrowful from Him, for he had great riches...It seems that the young man wanted to both follow Jesus and keep his wealth...But Jesus told him what to do...The young ruler did not follow Jesus...He left...
One who has little or no money can be blessed for being poor and poor in spirit...The poor widow put more in the treasury than the rich who put large offerings in...For all these rich men took out of their abundance and gave offerings for God, but the widow out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had...
Certain things cannot be bought...God, as stated earlier, is a Master...He is a Master of LOVE, Forgiveness, Goodness, and Grace...