MATTHEW 6
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys 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. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!24 “No one 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. 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? – Matthew 6:19-27
MATTHEW 6 NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
If the Lord chose you to serve him, you will obey him
You will not gather earthly treasures that are fleeting
You no longer are driven by your lust for material things
But you now prioritize what is spiritual and unseen
You treasure the things that pleases God and avoid sin
You’re no longer anxious but rely on God for all your needs
There’s now a bias towards righteousness and prejudice over evil
You rank God first in all you do and don’t let the devil in.
Some scholars claim that the book of Matthew was written anonymously but other scholars according to some sources say that it was the Apostle Matthew who was formerly called Levi and was a tax collector before he became an apostle. In this account, the author focuses on the importance of true worship to our Lord and Savior. It is amazing how service and loyalty was emphasized in these following verses. If we reflect on life, we are either the servant or subordinate to a master or leader.
What Matthew is pointing out here is very vital in our understanding of true worship. He tackles the subject matter on anxiety, loyalty, priorities, longings and what’s valuable in life. I was fascinated by how he wove the idea that if our hearts are longing for earthly things, we will veer away from God. That’s why he suggests for us to gather riches in heaven rather than material things that easily rot, rust, destroyed or stolen. In other words, if we seek those physical things, we will eventually worship those things and become slaves of them or idolaters. When our focus is on earthly stuff, we become anxious to pursue them and begin to depend on ourselves. If we shift our attention to heavenly things, we become thankful and content with what the Lord provides for us. We worship the One true God.
REFLECTION
- How can an anxious heart easily be turned into idolatry? What is that person worshiping?
