Who's the Master?

On Saturday afternoon, I went to a financial seminar hosted by a few friends of mine. As part of my better me campaign I knew I needed to get my finances in order and start putting my money in some sort of investment/savings strategy to provide for my future, including children I don't have yet and a retirement that is at least 35 years away. There was a lot of information presented, nothing too detailed just enough information for me to know that there was a lot to be done. I didn't feel worried when I left, but the wheels in my head were definitely turning. On Monday morning, I woke up with a scripture in my head. Matthew 6:24 states "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." I cannot explain to you the dismay I felt when I looked this scripture up and found out exactly what it said. I was mortified. Was God telling me that I was worshiping money. This went against every idea I've had of myself. In my way of thinking, I don't cheat people to get money, I am not willing to debase myself in order for earthly gain, nor, by my calculation or remembrance am I always chasing money. For about 24 hours, I was in a state of wretchedness about the implications of that scripture. Subsequently, since the drama in my head has died down, the spirit of God has been able to illuminate exactly what that scripture means for me and where I am in my spiritual and financial development.

The scripture says, no one can serve two masters. In the word master is the beginning of my problem. I am not master of my money. I patch things up, make decisions for now and regard my savings as something for my own pleasure. If I am not master of my money, then it only stands to reason that money is master of me. I am serving money, and money is not serving me. So though I may not stand on the extreme and personify the person the O'Jays so passionately sang about in their seminal tune "For the Love of Money" I am still yet a servant with two masters.

Once understanding convicted me, I came into agreement with God and asked him to show me how to put money where it belongs, as a servant to me and not me a servant to it. I know that money, like emotion, makes a poor master. There are thought patterns and behaviours ingrained in me from a tumultuous lack filled childhood that I must overcome in order to truly be a master over money. In the end, the goal remains the same, to insure that God, the Most High is the only god I serve on this journey to be the best me possible. I'll tell you how it all turns out.

The Bit Characters

You know.. how in a movie, you see your hero/heroine and their immediate surroundings? The characters you are introduced to are there purely as plot points and you only see the other characters as they are needed to push the story along. When their part in the movie is over, that's their last scene, and those people go to the SAG office to find a new job. I was pondering this idea because I watch mostly the same movies over and over and I find myself saying (to myself of course) "Oh, that's her/his last scene" The director has the sense to know when that person's part in the story is over.

Do you know when a person's part in your story is over? So often we suffer in relationships because we are trying to keep track of the "bit characters" people who's part in our plot are over. This can show up in the form of unforgiveness... when we hold grudges for past wrongs and don't allow forgiveness or healing to come into our lives. That person has moved on.. remarried.. started a new life or in some cases died, yet we still carry the stain of the hurt they caused into our current lives, blocking the greatness that could be happening now over the pain that happened then.

We need to look at the credits in our lives... take a look at the cast of characters we allow to affect our plot and make some casting changes. Some characters really need to be cut off.

Know when to let go.