Who do we serve?

AM Psalm 87, 90 • PM Psalm 136
2 Kings 11:1-20a • 1 Cor. 7:10-24 • Matt. 6:19-24

Today’s Old Testament and Epistle require us to step into the mindset of a foreign and ancient world. The passage from Kings speaks of long-forgotten rulers and political priorities, while the verses from Corinthians speak of issues that most Christians feel have been settled long ago.

But Jesus’ words in Matthew today suddenly make the ancient world seem familiar. He speaks to people living in a culture in which wealth has taken on an outsized importance. Who in our day hasn’t set their hearts on the treasures of the earth? It’s easy to become obsessed with wealth in a country in which everything from our politics to our vocations to our entertainment is judged primarily on how much money it makes for the people involved. It’s easy for us to find ourselves—without thinking—putting our energies into ways to make ourselves more wealthy at the expensive of finding ways to make ourselves more compassionate, loving and charitable.

All Christians have heard Jesus’ stark words about how we cannot serve two masters. But aside from a handful of the saints, we all try to do so anyway. Even the most strict Biblical literalists are ready to abandon the cause when it comes to the passages that condemn money!

Us non-saints can still find ways to choose God over Mammon. St. Paul’s and other groups in our community provide numerous ways to use our earthly treasures of time and money in service to others.

Written by Adam Call Roberts

Adam has been a parishioner of St. Paul's since 2009. He attends with his 4-year-old son, Alex, and his fiancée, Jacey. He works as a journalist for 40/20 News.