Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” NAS
We readied our cameras and waited in anticipation of one of the most famous sights our nation has to offer. Within moments, the earth would erupt, shooting water high into the air, the likes of which we had never witnessed and whose tales had been recounted for centuries.
Old Faithful!
Beside us sat a family, who had also traveled cross-country to behold the glory of Old Faithful. But, as steam escaped the ground announcing the approaching explosion, an orange garbage truck pulled up to the visitor center with loud clashing sounds and began dumpster trash removal. Immediately, their little boy took off sprinting toward the truck, the grandfather right on his heels. The child jumped up and down and clapped his hands as the dumpster was lifted high into the air and came clanging down on top of the truck to unload its contents. Simultaneously, behind them Old Faithful spewed in all its glory.
As both the dumpster and the geyser spectacles subsided, a frustrated grandfather returned with a little boy unable to contain his excitement. The man, who had just missed Old Faithful’s glorious display for trash removal, let out an exasperated sigh. But a little boy who witnessed no part of Old Faithful shouted, “An orange garbage truck is the best thing ever!”
Unfortunately, the grandfather and his grandson missed all the grandeur of the geyser to watch garbage being collected. To rephrase Matthew 6:24, No one can watch two spectacles; for either he will see the one and miss the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot watch Old Faithful and trash removal.
I’m reminded of Martha, a friend of Jesus, who takes a bad rap for her hospitality. Martha’s problem was not in her eagerness to serve, but like that little boy, Martha found herself distracted from what was most important at that moment. There would have been time later for hospitality, but she focused on her surroundings when she should have focused on her Savior.
How often do we do the same thing? Do we, too, embrace non-vital affairs and miss God’s goodness? Are we so excited over trivial earthly matters that we ignore our devotion to God? Can we become so overly attentive to self-improvement that we overlook spiritual improvement?
Life challenges us to establish priorities. Will we focus on an orange garbage truck or Old Faithful? Will we place more value on this passing life or on a glorious God? Sisters, may we place our eyes first upon our Savior.
Father God, may our gaze be ever upon You and Your will for our lives.
Blessings,
Rita Cochrane