Made to Serve

Author: Joseph

Date: January 19, 2020

“No one can serve two masters…” Yeshua began to say to His disciples (Matthew 6:24). In these words are an abundance of truth worth observing. The first is that no one can serve two masters, that is, it is impossible to have two different authorities leading someone’s life. The opposing commands and conflicting interests would drive the servant to insanity as he is unable to diligently attend to both masters. The result of this conflict is that the servant would consequentially choose one master over the other and give all of his efforts to the master he chose. Yeshua states this Himself, “…for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24). The servant doesn’t just choose a master to be devoted to, he also loves the master, taking pleasure in his servitude to him. Whichever master the servant chooses is now the source of his belonging and the focus of his life.

"Whichever master the servant chooses is now the source of his belonging and the focus of his life."

Serving is an inseparable part of who we are as God’s creation: humankind. Since the garden in Eden, humankind has been serving God (Genesis 2:15). We must accept the fact that we can never be the master of our own lives or the lives of others. We are also incapable of performing anything that is not in some way a form of servitude, which is good since this is part of our identity as humankind. Think of any task and any position in life and we will always be serving in one form or another. We will always serve, even in the most superior position we can hold in our country or the even the world.

If we are not serving someone, then we are serving something (ex. money, power, influence, pride, lust). We cannot help but serve because it is in our nature, even if that means we even serve objects, ideas, or sin. We will always find someone or something to rely on for our source of belonging or satisfaction and this same thing becomes the focus of our life. This is why some people chase wealth all their life and dedicate every decision they make into accumulating it. They even begin to derive pleasure from the pursuit and it leads them like a master.

Yeshua’s next words break down the deception that the pursuit of something is not also servitude, “You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matthew 6:24). In other words, whether it is a person or a thing, if it becomes the focus of your life or the source of your satisfaction and belonging, you are consequentially unable to serve God or please Him. Serving one over the other creates a clear and definitive opposition to the other. Love one and the other will be hated. Devote yourself to one and the other will be despised. No middle-ground nor any distortion of understanding can deny the truth of Yeshua’s words.

We were made to serve and it is undeniably a part of who we are. Once we accept this and realize that we have only the choice to either serve God or something else, the right choice should be made to cling to our Creator and serve Him alone.

Have you been serving anything other than God? Do you now notice how your entire life direction has been being led by something other than your Creator? Turn to God and serve Him alone. Hate the other thing. Despise the other thing. Love God and devote yourself wholly to Him. God is the only One worthy of calling “Master” and the only One worth serving.

Matthew 6:24

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB). www.lockman.org