Luke 16:15b (NIV) What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

Jesus was teaching the people about money and what our attitude towards it should be. He finished up the lesson by teaching that people cannot serve two masters. He said that they would love the one and hate the other, or that they would be devoted to one and despise the other. Then He said that you cannot love both God and money. If you love money, you will not love God and if you love God, you will not love money. Money is something to use wisely, not something to love. Loving it will drive you down some very dark paths.

Now when the Pharisees heard Jesus teaching about this, they sneered at Him because they loved money and valued it highly. That’s when Jesus said the words of the verse above. It is an ominous thought to love and value something that is detestable to God. Think about that for a moment. God, who lovingly watches over us and who has blessed us way more than we deserve, is telling us that there are things that we value that He hates. In the book of 1 John, we are admonished not to love the world or anything in the world. If we do, then according to the scriptures, the love of the Father is not in us (1 John 2:15). Money drives a lot of things in this world. It is what people who don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior run after. As believers, we cannot follow in their footsteps. Besides the fact that the Lord detests what a lot of people value, money does not live up to its billing. It cannot and does not satisfy your soul. I know that many people reading this would like to give it a try to see if it does satisfy, but that’s not necessary. Just look at the lives of the people who have lots of money. They are usually empty, unhappy and unsatisfied. You may see them partying and “having a good time,” but they have to medicate themselves by either drinking or doing drugs to have that good time. Most of the time, they can’t even remember what happened. They will try to fill the void that is still in their soul, even though they have a lot of money, which is what many are striving for.

If you want a rich and satisfying life, start by staying away from the things that the Lord detests. He hates them for a reason, with the primary reason being that those things destroy lives. The Word of God warns us that many people have gone astray and have “pierced themselves with many griefs” going after money (1 Timothy 6:10). While it is necessary for us to use money in this world, loving it is the root of all kinds of evil according to God’s Word. Let’s not even come close to loving something that God hates. Instead, let’s love what He loves. It is then that it will be well with our souls.

Pastor Joey Vazquez