Today's Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34 "You cannot serve God and mammon." When I looked up the word "mammon" on Wikipedia, the phrase "Associated with the greedy pursuit of gain" jumped right out at me. I'm a stay-at-home mom. So I know I'm not sacrificing my principles by working at a sleazy job just for the great salary. Nonetheless, something inside of me still said I was guilty of serving mammon. Greedy gain comes in ​all different forms. Befriending someone just to g​et access to the right crowd makes it about us, not her. Extending a kindness for the gratitude and recognition means we're giving with strings attached. Helping someone today so she'll help us tomorrow makes it a selfish act, not selfless. If I'm truly honest with myself, ​I've been guilty of all these things, at one time or another. ​ Yes, we are meant to​ ​take all these actions​; ​but we're supposed to do so with right intention. If our motivation is a selfish one, we're seeking first the kingdom of self. Instead, our motivation needs to be a selfless one. That's how we seek first the kingdom of God.

Ponder:

When I do things for others, is my motivation selfish? Or pure?

Pray:

Dear God, help me to make seeking Your kingdom the reason for all I do.
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About the Author

Claire McGarry

Claire McGarry

Claire McGarry is the author of Grace in Tension: Discover Peace with Martha and Mary, and the Lenten family devotionals With Our Savior and Abundant Mercy. Claire is a regular contributor to Living Faith, and her freelance work has appeared in several books, magazines, and devotionals. She blogs weekly at Shifting My Perspective, and lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon.