Luke 16.13 observes, no one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

The Bible has many warnings against the pursuit and accumulation of wealth. It is interesting that God observes that our greatest competitor to Him will not be some strange idol from a weird man-made religion but a desire to be wealthy. Why do we want wealth?

Because it represents opportunities for pleasure and comfort. It means the best houses, food, transportation and vacations. Wealth means getting to have all that we want and getting to do all that we want. Pursuing wealth is pursuing the self-centered life.

While we often focus on the wealth accumulation side of God’s warning, the greater issue is failure to take action upon our true purpose for being created. That is, we are made by God for God to serve God as worshipers of God. We cannot serve God well if we are enslaved to the pursuit of wealth.

Rather than focusing upon how wealthy we are we should be focusing upon how well we are serving God. How well are we doing? What have we done for Him lately? God invites us to be rich in good deeds for these are what He rewards for all eternity when we spend all eternity with Him and those whom He has adopted. Serving God is not difficult but it does take focus, thought and intention.

We serve God everytime we clothe the naked, visit the prisoner, feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty. We serve God everytime we welcome a child into God’s world. That is every time we let children know they are valued and loved by God and we help them understand Him as the Creator of all Who has provided every good thing for their benefit.

We serve God when we care for the sick, the elderly and the disabled. We serve God when we help people understand that He is and that He rewards those who place their faith in Him. We serve God when we sacrifice our own time, talent or treasure for the welfare and benefit of another human being. How well are we doing at serving God?

Is God to Whom we will give an account for how we lived our lives accumulating enough evidence against us to convict us as His servant? Have we spent our best days on accumulating wealth so that someday we can do the things God wants? Will we then serve Him? How do we know we are guaranteed those ‘somedays?’ Life is really about loving God by loving people with whatever time, talent and treasure we have today. Tomorrow will take care of itself.

We are to make pursuing God and His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven our greatest concern.