We cannot love
two masters. We will be devoted to one and hate the other (Matthew
6:24). My life gets so compartmentalized
that I don't realize I am serving multiple masters.
I treat life like my computer desktop. Multiple graphic interfaces
let me click back and forth between realms; I can have music,
e-mail, word processing and a spreadsheet all running at once.
I am not devoted to one in particular—I feel like I
am attending to them all at once. Click in this sphere, I read
an e-mail; click in that sphere, I calculate some numbers.
They remain separate spheres that never need meet unless I
choose to cut and paste from one to the other.
The problem comes when I act this way about the different
spheres of my life beyond my computer desktop. Over here is
my work world, over there is my religious life. Over here is
my "worldly" money, over there is my religious
tithe. Over here I do what it takes to succeed according to
the boss' dictates, over there I act with church manners.
I click back and forth between separate spheres that never
need to meet.
Our lives become disintegrated—reduced to parts—by
the competing tasks. Our work can become something we do for
"the boss" or "the company" or "the
paycheck"—in order to do the other things in
life, even to give 10 percent of the paycheck to God. Even
a tithe can become disintegrated from our wholeness.
The Bible teaches that everything belongs to God. Our life
and breath, our health and ability to work, our goods, our
talents, our hearts and minds. It all belongs to God—not
just 10 percent of it. And when we work, we should work as
though we are working for God, not just human masters.
In Colossians we read this teaching to slaves, who are in
a clear position of servitude to an earthly master: "Slaves,
obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being
watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing
the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done
for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that
from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward;
you serve the Lord Christ" (3:22-24).
Jesus warns us that we cannot have multiple loves. If we are
devoted to the gain of money in the work realm and devoted
to God only in religious or spiritual realms of life, we are
trying to serve two masters. And Jesus says this is impossible.
This reminds me of the question Elijah asked the Israelites
when they were vacillating between the false god Baal and the
true God of Israel. "How long will you go limping with
two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but
if Baal, then follow him" (1 Kings 18:21).
Are you tired of limping in your work? Wouldn't you
rather work in a joyful dance of focused devotion to the God
who loves us? Next month:
A new way of judging
|
