Daily Scripture: Luke 16:10 Someone who is trustworthy in a small matter is also trustworthy in large ones, and someone who is dishonest in a small matter is also dishonest in large ones. 11 So if you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who is going to trust you with the real thing? 12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what ought to belong to you? 13 No servant can be slave to two masters, for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can’t be a slave to both God and money.”
14 The P’rushim heard all this, and since they were money-lovers, they ridiculed him. 15 He said to them, “You people make yourselves look righteous to others, but God knows your hearts; what people regard highly is an abomination before God!
Reflection Questions:Israel in Jesus’ day (like most countries in the world today) had a few very rich people, and many who were very poor. Jesus was not against wealth, but he was against giving wealth a higher priority than God. He challenged many of the rich, notably those who were religious leaders, telling them it is impossible to serve God and wealth. Those who usually saw all their wealth as a sign of God’s favor sneered. Jesus wouldn’t back down, saying the things that impress human beings often offend God.
- Based on passages like Psalm 50:9-14, preachers or writers may remind us, “God owns everything. None of it is truly ours.” In the same vein, what Jesus called “worldly wealth” in verse 11 he described as “someone else’s property” in verse 12. How might it alter your life to take that seriously? Would you drive God’s car the same way you do “yours”? Would you watch different things on God’s TV or computer? Would you spend God’s m
- oney any differently than you do your own?
- Jesus said our hearts have room for only one true master. Who or what is your ultimate master, your top priority? Can you recall any times when you put more energy and money into gratifying your own wishes rather than God’s? Do you ever find yourself trying to justify the priority you give to certain material goods?
Today’s Prayer:
Lord God, I genuinely want you to be my Lord, the master of my heart, my thoughts—and, yes, my bank account. And if this prayer makes me wince a bit, well—help me to truly want what I say I want. Amen.Insights from Natassia Howell
Lord God, I genuinely want you to be my Lord, the master of my heart, my thoughts—and, yes, my bank account. And if this prayer makes me wince a bit, well—help me to truly want what I say I want. Amen.Insights from Natassia Howell
Natassia Howell is an intern in the Guest Services Department, She attends Friends University and is studying Music Education. Her favorite activity is sitting down with someone and having a good laugh.
I’m a broke college student, and in all of my life I’ve never really had to worry about money. So how is this passage significant to me in my life right now? I think it has more to do with priorities for me than just money. While I was away at school I focused on doing homework, getting straight A’s, and keeping my GPA up to keep my scholarships. These became my priorities. The one thing that wasn’t constantly on my mind was God.
I took a religion and philosophy class where we talked about God, but I didn’t freely talk about God after class. That doesn’t mean I don’t love God, but my priorities didn’t show that God was at the center of my life. I realized while at school I stopped the practice of worship altogether because I didn’t have a car on campus so I wasn’t going to church much. Although I don’t need to go to church to make God my number one priority, this reminds me that I can do that anywhere and everywhere. I just needed to figure out how to balance my time between my academic priorities and my relationship with God.
I know God is always right beside me, and I am making an effort to re-focus my attention on all of the ways that I encounter and experience God. What ways can you make your relationship with God more at the center of your life?
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
I’m a broke college student, and in all of my life I’ve never really had to worry about money. So how is this passage significant to me in my life right now? I think it has more to do with priorities for me than just money. While I was away at school I focused on doing homework, getting straight A’s, and keeping my GPA up to keep my scholarships. These became my priorities. The one thing that wasn’t constantly on my mind was God.
I took a religion and philosophy class where we talked about God, but I didn’t freely talk about God after class. That doesn’t mean I don’t love God, but my priorities didn’t show that God was at the center of my life. I realized while at school I stopped the practice of worship altogether because I didn’t have a car on campus so I wasn’t going to church much. Although I don’t need to go to church to make God my number one priority, this reminds me that I can do that anywhere and everywhere. I just needed to figure out how to balance my time between my academic priorities and my relationship with God.
I know God is always right beside me, and I am making an effort to re-focus my attention on all of the ways that I encounter and experience God. What ways can you make your relationship with God more at the center of your life?
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
___________________________________
___________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment