Through social interaction and advertisements, the world is constantly critiquing us. Generally, we are told that we do not have enough earthly possessions and need more. Some worry that they will miss something important if they do not partake in all the world offers. But what if you will always miss something? What if nobody can have it all? Then, your decisions are made based on what is most important to you and what you refuse to give up.
Jesus spoke about that idea in Matthew 6:24, saying, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” In one sentence, Jesus presented a revolutionary idea: You will always miss out on something because of what you prioritize.
Many only see the physical side of this idea. If I prepare chicken for dinner, I cannot also have meatloaf. I must choose one or the other, and I will miss out on something. The physical side is easy to see, but Jesus presented something more significant than your dinner plans. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus zoomed out from our existence to the furthest point possible, showing that everything fits into two categories. There are two masters, as He put it. Either you are serving God or physical wealth.
In Matthew 7:21, the reward of choosing God as Master is eternal: entry into the kingdom of heaven. However, those who rejected God’s mastery are turned away to enter eternal suffering. There are only two masters, and there are only two outcomes. Which one do you have to have? Which one are you afraid to miss most?