This essay continues a sequence. Read the previous one here.
No man can serve two masters:
for either he will hate the one, and love the other;
or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
— KJV, Matt 6:24
We are all servants of ego. We can all be servants of God. The “what” is defined by the Laws of Creation, the “how” by each individual.
Click here to receive new essays from The Word, (Re)Discovered every week
Mammon Is Not The Issue
The first line of this passage indicates that this is about a general principle. Mammon is only an example.
But is it really true that we cannot serve two masters? After all in today’s busy world many of us have become masters at balancing conflicting priorities. What’s the big deal?
It is not for us to start from our own concept of a thing and then try to interpret The Word, but to accept The Word and change our understanding (ref. “We Don’t Understand The Word“).
Christ’s use of the word “serve” here indicates that His definition of “service” is a complete giving of the self. If we are not giving our all, we are not serving. Hence it is impossible to serve two masters.
We Are All Focused
In earthly matters, most “successful” human beings are “focused”. They serve one master – the earthly goal they happen to be pursuing.
But whether we are focused or we are”multitasking”, we consciously or unconsciously apply a common standard with which to weigh competing priorities and make decisions. That common standard is ego (self) satisfaction (ref. “Blessed Are The Pure In Heart“).
“Ego focus” is the final determinant of how we balance competing requirements. Our drive for ego satisfaction manifests in countless ways e.g. worship of money.
As explained in “Turn The Other Cheek. Why? How?“, our ego focus has restricted our free will. Service to God, which is selflessness, is the only solution.
Service to an organisation is not so different from service to mammon, as explained in “False Faiths, Part 2“. Obedience to God’s Will is not the same as obedience to the dictates of a religious organisation.
Click here to receive new essays from The Word, (Re)Discovered every week
Servants of God
Some people associate “serving God” with religious dignitaries. In that view, this passage is meant only for such people.
As explained in “Much Ado About Nothing” we are all supposed to be servants of God, albeit in different ways. To serve him is to live a life of obedience to His Will (i.e. His Laws), which means a life not defined by material or selfish goals but by higher aspirations pursued seriously.
If we focus on a primarily spiritual goal and mindset we will continually improve our alignment with the Laws of Creation, which means we will continue to improve in service to God.
The idea that “Servant of God” is a title instead of an approach to life is false, and does not come from The Word. It was disseminated by leaders of early religious organisations, who used it to establish their authority (ref. “Christ Is Not The Founder of Christianity“).
Being a servant of God is not about being “active” in some religious organisation or calling oneself a Christian (or Muslim, etc.).
The only way we can serve God is by obeying His Laws. At the heart of His Laws is the Law of Love:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind.
…
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
— Matt 22:37-40
If we express this love in all aspects of our lives we are living as servants of God, irrespective of how we earn a living.
The “how” is different for every individual, but is always characterised by love and peace-building activity (ref. “Blessed Are The Peacemakers“).
This is difficult. For most of us it requires becoming a totally different person i.e. born anew (ref. “Ye Must Be Born Again“).
And we must make the effort:
So then because thou art lukewarm,
and neither cold nor hot,
I will spew thee out of my mouth
— Rev 3:16
Today’s Resolution:
- The path of service is the path of selflessness. Let us commence the path of service to God in all things – family life, social life, career, etc.
Click here to receive new essays from The Word, (Re)Discovered every week
Leave a Reply