Divided Loyalties Do Not Add Up

Despite our best intentions, we can’t always please everyone. Take this case of divided loyalties. Joan had arranged with her mother that she would bring her husband and two young children to lunch on Mother’s Day. But the day before, her husband accepted an invitation from his mother for lunch. Neither spouse had checked with the other before making the arrangements. What a dilemma! Which mother would be the least offended when they had to tell her that lunch was off? The couple were grateful that Joan’s mother saw the funny side of the situation and said she’d keep the chicken in the freezer for another time.

In this series, we are looking at the meaning and background of Bible sayings in common usage. This week’s saying originated with Jesus. He said: ‘No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money’ (Matthew 6:24 New International Version).

In Bible times, slaves or servants were owned by their masters. They had no rights of their own and were completely at their master’s disposal. If their loyalty was doubted, their service ended abruptly.

Rather than the word ‘money’, older versions of the Bible use the word ‘mammon’, which actually refers to material possessions in general.

The Bible tells the story of a wealthy young man (see Mark 10:17–25) who inquired about the necessary qualifications to get into Heaven. Jesus replied that he should use the Ten Commandments to guide his everyday life. To this he proudly answered that he had never knowingly broken any of them. But it was a different story when, testing his commitment, Jesus told him he must sell all his possessions, give the proceeds to the poor and follow him. It was the one thing he couldn’t do. Money had become his master.

The saying ‘No man can serve two masters’ is often used in relation to politics and business - especially when the divided loyalties of ambition and power interfere with a positive outcome for good. So, what rules our life?

UK & Ireland War Cry 3 May 2014