No One Can
Serve Two Masters
Do you ever notice how certain people,
places, and situations may cause us to guard ourselves more closely or change
our behavior (at least temporarily)? An unsupervised child may misbehave, but when a stern parent enters the room that
changes quickly. Those of us who have been warned by a doctor about certain
health risks might tend to overlook his recommendations at home, but when it’s
time for that checkup, or if we run into the doctor at meal time, we are eager
to apply healthy habits to our lives. Perhaps you speed dangerously down the
road and ignore traffic signs and signals, then slam on your brakes and put
your hands at “ten and two” when a police officer is in sight. The list could
go on, but the point is that these so called changes in behavior will do little or nothing for the overall
health and wellness of these people.
The child who only changes his behavior when
mommy is watching is still a disobedient child. The patient who only eats and
lives healthy in the presence of the doctor will not gain the benefits of the
treatment or recommendations he/she is given. The driver who only respects
traffic regulations when he sees a police officer is really no safer to himself
or others than one who completely ignores the law. A clear spiritual
application can be made here. Some
“Christians” are in the habit of living like the rest of the sinful world, but
when they run into the preacher, elders, or other church members (or when they
enter the doors of the church building) they appear to be the epitome of a faithful
child of God.
“This people honors me with
their lips, but their heart is far
from me” (Matt 15:8). God has never been pleased when men practice fake
righteousness. Even if everyone on earth believes you are righteous, He has
said: “I the Lord search the
heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to
the fruit of his deeds” (Jer
----Darrell Powell