I’m one of those people who sometimes gets off track when the scripture is being read on Sunday morning. It’s not that I’m not listening, but being easily distracted I am often looking at the verses before or below.
So this week we were studying worrying (don’t) and I got focused on the verses above.
“You cannot be the slave of two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Matthew 16:24
It’s an interesting concept. We hear the word “master” and think it doesn’t pertain to us.
This verse specifies the conflict between loving God and money, but there are so many more choices.
- Work and family
- Spouse and children
- Budgeting or spending freely
- Stress or joy
- Partner or friends
- Work or social life
- Family or friends
- Going out or staying home
- Drunk or sober
- Eating to excess or eating enough
- Eating out often or saving for a vacation
- Volunteering or going home
- You or anyone else
You get the point, we have so many things clawing at us that we have to have an idea of what is important. What do you choose?
Don’t take this to mean I think we need to pick one or the other of each of these. For many, balance is the answer.
But the real question is, do you know your priorities? If you do know them, are you living them? If not, spend some time thinking on them. Knowing them makes designing our life easier.
We can try to serve two masters, or let’s call them bosses here, but when they both need you to work you’re going to have to choose.
For your sanity, it’s best to know what’s most important.
It’s significant that the next verses deal with worry. We can pull that down to “can you trust God completely and still worry that things will turn out OK?”
Just my Sunday musings.
Yesterday afternoon we had a lovely tea party for my mom’s birthday hosted by my oldest niece Sara for my mom. Sara did a fabulous job pulling it together.
Mom’s Alzheimer’s is in the late stages so she didn’t really know where she was or even who all these people were. She didn’t even realize the party was for her.
Still, she looked beautiful and loved the tasty treats. She even made a joke that had us all laughing. Her best friend asked her if she wanted another cup of coffee. Mom said “Are you sick?” Donna said “No, why do you ask?” Mom said “I thought there had a reason you were offering to get my tea.” My niece said “Donna’s in the burn unit,” (Now on my favorite phrases list.)
While I am sure Mom does not remember her beautiful party, my sisters and nieces and great nieces and Mom’s best friend do. We’re continuing to make memories. Maybe somewhere in her brain these beautiful moments reside, even if she doesn’t remember them on the surface.
Get your priorities in line and live them. Make great memories. Want my advice? You can’t go wrong choosing your family or family of choice. People trump most other things. Though maybe not travel. 😉 Or God.
In the Box, Out of the Box 