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Can’t Serve God and Money with Taylor Standridge
Episode 506
“No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money.” - Matthew 6:24
Serving two masters is not merely an economic or social concern but is profoundly spiritual. It touches on what it means to be a follower of Christ, challenging us to examine what truly governs our lives. Taylor Standridge joins us today to talk about it.
Taylor Standridge is the Production Director of FaithFi: Faith & Finance and the co-author of Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety.
Overcoming Financial Anxiety with Faith
Many struggle with financial worries—bills, job security, or retirement savings—leading to sleepless nights and constant stress and anxiety. Look at the Sparrows addresses these concerns by guiding readers through biblical teachings that reveal a path to peace. It emphasizes that true security doesn’t come from money but from trusting in God’s provision and grace.
This 21-day devotional reminds us of God’s love and His role as our ultimate source of security.
Serving God vs. Serving Money
One key theme in Look at the Sparrows is the contrast between serving God and serving money, inspired by Jesus’s teachings in Matthew 6. While not inherently bad, money often represents worldly values like wealth, power, and status that can draw us away from God.
The devotional encourages readers to recognize that money is a tool—a good gift from God to be used for His purposes. However, if we believe money can provide the security and identity that only God offers, it can become a form of idolatry that distracts us from a life centered on faith.
Larry Burkett put it well:
“The love of money is a form of idol worship, just as surely as the worship of pagan images. It is not the money that is the problem; it’s the attitude toward it.”
The Bible has 2,350 verses about money and stewardship because money often competes with God for our trust and loyalty. Ecclesiastes 5:10 is a stark reminder for all who are chasing after wealth’s promise of satisfaction:
“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.” - Ecclesiastes 5:10
Pursuing wealth always leaves people empty, while a life focused on God’s provision leads to true fulfillment.
Danger Signs You May Be Serving Money
The devotional offers practical guidance to help believers identify when money might be taking priority over God:
- Prioritizing Work Over God: If making money takes precedence over nurturing your relationship with God or serving others, it may be a sign that money has become an idol. Pastor Josh Teis puts it well: “If rest feels like a sin, work is an idol.”
- Never Feeling Satisfied: Constantly wanting more and never feeling content with what you have can indicate that money holds too much power in your life.
- Reluctance to Give Generously: If giving feels like a burden or you struggle to be generous, it may reflect an unhealthy attachment to money and a lack of trust in God’s provision.
Shifting from a Scarcity Mindset to Abundance
The “scarcity mindset” often underlies financial anxiety. Scarcity can lead us to focus on our own needs, creating envy and conflict. Yet, Scripture calls us to a different approach—one of generosity and trust in God’s abundance. As Paul teaches in Philippians 2:3, we are to “count others more significant than ourselves,” living with a spirit of selflessness.
Jesus exemplifies this mindset in stories like
Published on 1 year, 2 months ago