19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, 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 that is 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 one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

A man’s portfolio and his possessions make for demanding gods. They require much but give so little back. Yet many spend their lives accumulating stuff that in the end will wear out, rust out or give out. Extended credit card debt or other financial obligations incurred in order to get more stuff now can increasingly absorb larger and larger portions of one’s income. Even financial investments can suffer huge losses, with either recession, inflation, embezzlement or mismanagement wiping away value. A health catastrophe can destroy the best laid plans for financial independence.

A god in our lives is anything that commands our unbending loyalty, and/or determines our bottom line affecting all our decisions. Money and possessions (which are inextricably related) take their toll. Stress on marriages, need for increased income resulting in multiple jobs, parents with little time for children, obsessions with possessions, lack of sharing, anxiety – and the list goes on. It is said that the number one problem in marriages is conflict over money, which in reality is a clashing of the gods!

Such deities as money and possessions distort a person’s view of life, leading them to irrational decisions and behavior. For a follower of Jesus Christ, a decision needs to be made, sometimes on a daily basis. Whom do you serve, God or money? To be sure, we need to provide for the necessities of life and plan responsibly for future needs. But the question is this: Are wealth, possessions, or stockpiled finances the ultimate goal in your life, or is being a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus Christ? You cannot do both. A choice must be made. Jesus, as has been customary in this Sermon on the Mount, paints the picture in black and white. If you are devoted to wealth, in Jesus’ words, you despise God. There is no in-between.

Lord, I choose to put You first before all my decisions concerning finances and purchases. Show me how I can share what You have given me with others.