In Luke 16, we come to a parable about serving two masters. At the end of that parable, Jesus says, “‘No servant 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.’ The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.’” [Luke 16:13-15 NIV]
As I read that verse, I was confronted immediately with the question, “So what IS highly valued among men?”
Jesus made it clear that what this world highly values is detestable in God’s sight. Since that is true, we need to answer that question. What does this world value? I can start off with a host of things, wealth, success, power, talent, intellect, social status. You can probably name a host of other things.
I am not sure I read anywhere in Scripture that these are bad things in themselves. After all, many of God’s people had wealth (Abraham), success (Deborah/Barak), power (Solomon), talent (David), intellect (Paul), social status (Esther).
I think, however, that when we start serving those things rather than allowing those things to serve us, we enter into idolatry. And you cannot serve both God and an idol no matter what that idol is.
Whatever we highly value more than God Himself is going to get us in trouble. Idolatry is detestable to God in any form.
Father, may I always place You above everything else in my life. May I never bow my knee to an idol, no matter what form that idol may take. Search my heart, find any wicked thing in me, and remove it far from me. Amen.
