13“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.”
My four-year-old niece Lucy and I recently played the game Candy Land, or, as Lucy calls it, “Candy Cane Land.” This was no ordinary game of Candy Land, however. You see, even though she and I were the only two players, she insisted that we play with all four little characters, with both of us taking ownership of two each as we played. As a result, she and I were playing as if we had two different teams, one for each character we played. Chaos ensued. It was not easy playing this way. I had the orange and red characters, and I frequently forgot which character’s turn I was drawing a card for. The truth is, it is not easy to play as if we are on two different teams, with divided loyalties, and this truth extends far beyond playing a game of Candy Land. During His earthly ministry, Jesus taught that we cannot live our lives with divided loyalty, living for this earth and living for Him at the same time. He is looking for followers who follow Him with their whole hearts.
We learn from Jesus’ teachings in Luke 16 about the pitfalls of divided loyalties. As He was teaching one day, Jesus spoke these words, “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” (verse 13). Jesus did not mince words. There is no room for divided loyalty for His followers. What is interesting is the response of the Pharisees who were listening to Jesus teach that day. After He spoke those words, the Pharisees, “who dearly loved their money,…scoffed at Him” (verse 14). They could not heed Jesus’ warning. Yes, they had committed to serving in religious roles and could have even started with good motives. Still, many of them ultimately became enamored with money, which completely distracted them and even derailed their ministries.
What Jesus said in Luke 16 is true today. “No one can serve two masters.” We cannot serve Him with divided loyalty. For the Pharisees, it was money causing divided loyalty. For some today, money could be what tempts them to be divided in their loyalty. It does not have to be money, however. Relationships, career advancement, a sinful habit, or something else may tempt us to have divided loyalties when it comes to growing in our relationship with God. It’s time we let go of anything keeping us from being fully devoted followers of Christ and follow Him wholeheartedly.
Moving toward action
Memorize Luke 16:13 today. This is a critical verse to allow to sink into our hearts and minds. Think about it often as you commit it to memory. Ask God to help you to live out the words in this verse so that you live solely for Him and Him alone.
Prayer Prompt: Use this prompt to guide you as you pray.
“God, as I set out to live with undivided loyalty to you, help me…”
Going Deeper
13“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.”
14The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him. 15Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.
16“Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.[1] 17But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.
18“For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”
Translation notes (1)
- 16:16 Or everyone is urged to enter in.
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