There are so many things clamoring for our attention, demanding our time, thoughts and devotion. We can find ourselves pursuing many things at the same time. Not only do we fail to catch up on anything, we run ourselves ragged trying. If we are not careful, we can find we are soon better suited for the circus as a juggler than we are as Christians living balanced lives. How do we put a stop to the madness? How do we reel it all in, sort it all out, and focus our attention on one thing? Jesus answers those questions with a simple but profound statement: “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money" (Lk. 16:13). As simple as it is profound, this statement places the responsibility squarely on our own shoulders. Who or what will you really serve? Be honest, and the answer may surprise you. First, remember God looks at our heart, so he is not impressed or fooled by our words (1 Sam. 16:7). Second, we all really do serve something or someone, so knowing who or what you serve is very important because it dictates who you are and what you do. Third, serving two masters really is impossible. Life can get full; we need to simplify it by deciding today who or what our true master is.

Dr. William Burnham is pastor of Point of Grace Church in Covington. He can be reached at burnhamw@charter.net.