ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
January 25, 2022
You can’t serve both God and wealth according to Jesus. In Luke 16, in a rather disjointed section of scripture (Bruce’s opinion), Jesus appears to summarize with the words, “No household servant can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” I don’t believe it was Luke’s purpose in this section, but it almost feels as if Luke has Jesus stepping out of the confusion with these closing words that are pointed and rather unambiguous. As I look around the room in which I am currently seated, there are seven Chalice and Plate sets. As some of you know, I collect them. I have three or four times that many at church, and another six or seven sets in other places here at the house. Some of them are probably worth $100 or even $200. Some I got real cheap. I really like them, and I have used them for weddings, special services and even had twenty of them set up for a World Communion Sunday. I can think of all kinds of ways they could be justified. Many of them are beautiful pieces of art, and I like supporting individual artists. But do I say that to make me feel better about spending a few thousand dollars on items that are mostly decorative? This is all to make a point that may not be very clear at this point. In fact, it might be completely lost on everyone. So I guess I’ll just remind us all how we cannot serve God and wealth. We can’t!
The lines are often blurred. There are times when it is hard to know what we own and what owns us. You are my God, but I’m not absolutely sure if I am always prioritizing everything correctly. Keep me grounded, Merciful One! Keep me focused on what is most important: Loving you and loving my neighbor. Amen.
