Mat 6:25 (NIV) Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

The quick way out of this passage is to say we aren’t worried about these things. However, that is not true. We are worried about them. True, we aren’t worried when plenty of money is flowing in. Plenty of money flowing in heals us from a lot of worries. But, the moment we start studying about sharing with all Christians who have needs, we suddenly start worrying. We all start thinking, if I begin sharing with needy Christians, what am I going to eat or drink, and what am I going to wear? We start protesting, I can’t do that.

What if they are just acting like they have a need and really don’t? That is easy to solve; we can do the necessary research and find out before we share. But, what if we do the research and find out that the need is great and real? That is why we don’t do the research; we just want to object in a “what if” style.

Here is another “what if” that bothers us and keeps us from joining the share and be helped system. What if everyone started doing this; we would never be able to come up with enough money to meet all the needs out there. God isn’t asking us to share and be helped by non-Christians. The Bible is only talking about the Christians having all things in common.

Acts 4:34-35 (NIV) There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

Most of us think, that just won’t work. However, it did; it can now! Whether or not we do it is another thing; but, this is what the Bible is saying. This can’t be simply brushed off as some hair brained scheme. There is a principle of God that permeates the Bible concerning money.

It isn’t a principle most Christians subscribe to. But, it isn’t optional as it relates to God’s plan for our lives. God is going to be our source or money is. He isn’t saying that we shouldn’t try to serve two masters; He is saying that we CANNOT serve two masters.

Mat 6:24 (NIV) No one CAN serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You CANNOT serve both God and Money.

Jesus isn’t being obscure about this issue. Why? Because it is a vital issue on a foundational level in our relationship with God. If we are going to serve God, we are going to stop serving money. If we don’t stop serving money, we will hate and despise God. It is a nonnegotiable fact of God. This is a serious issue that we all have to look at closely. I am sure this isn’t the first time any of us have taken a look at this passage. How did we survive the trip through it?

Let’s stop and look at the thoughts we had when we read this for the first or second time.

• I don’t think it really means that.
• I am not ready to start living like that.
• No one else is doing this. It must not apply to today.
• I am going to wait until I check this out with other Christians.
• This is just too hard of a concept for me to apply.
• I do give to missionaries, the church, and some benevolent organizations.
• This isn’t my gift, ministry, or calling.
• I am going to wait until my finances get better.

One thing is for sure, we came up with something to make us feel better as we moved through here and then went on with our life. If the current Christians aren’t living their life like this, does that mean that this concept is wrong or not for today? How do we know whether or not we are serving money?