Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, March 12, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
This last verse is probably the only part of this parable that actually makes sense. And I’ll be honest, I don’t think it makes sense in relation to the rest of the parable. I have yet to find anyone who can explain what I’m supposed to learn from the dishonest manager. So I’ll stick to the last verse.
That one couldn’t be clearer. The pursuit of material wealth will pretty much always put you in conflict with God, who calls you to give up your possessions, care for the widow and the orphan, cross boundaries, work for justice, and put others’ needs ahead of your own comfort. Lots of folks will try to tell you that the accumulation of material wealth isn’t mutually exclusive with God’s call. At the risk of oversimplifying, I don’t believe them. Of course, I hold myself accountable here, too. I’d love to be so wealthy I didn’t have to worry about money or security. But I also know those things (a) are an illusion and (b) have historically always come at the expense of justice. So I’ll keep trying to keep my focus in the right place, even though I know I’ll fail. Thank goodness God is gracious and merciful.
Liberating God, free me from the bondage of the pursuit of material wealth, that I might experience the joys of your holy justice. Amen.
