You Can’t Serve Two Masters—But We All Try

There’s this haunting scene in The Godfather where Michael Corleone stands at a baptism, reciting all the right words—rejecting Satan, affirming faith in God—while hitmen he ordered are carrying out murders across town. It's a masterclass in contradiction. Michael is saying the words of faith, but his heart is loyal to something else entirely: power.

Jesus puts it like this: “No one can serve two masters. You’ll either hate the one and love the other, or you’ll be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)

It’s one of the most black-and-white statements Jesus ever makes. But as always, the point isn’t to trap us with rules—it’s to invite us to look honestly at our hearts.

What is Mammon, Really?
Most Bible translations render “mammon” as “money.” But Jesus didn’t use the normal Greek word for money. He used an Aramaic word—mammon—and Matthew kept it untranslated in the Greek. That’s rare. It’s like when we say “fiancé” in English. It’s borrowed, and we leave it borrowed because it carries weight that doesn’t quite translate.

Scholars believe “mammon” comes from a root that means “that in which you place your trust.” That hits different, doesn’t it?

You can’t serve both God and the thing you actually trust to hold your life together. That might be money. But it might also be your career. Or your reputation. Or your ability to stay in control. Mammon isn’t always about having more—it’s about what we’ve come to depend on to feel safe, secure, or significant.

And Jesus is clear: eventually, that thing will compete with your loyalty to God. Not because God is insecure, but because your heart can’t live in two kingdoms at once.

But Then There’s the Curveball…
Here’s where Jesus surprises us. In Luke 16, he tells this strange parable about a dishonest manager. The guy is about to be fired, so he uses his position to cut deals with people who owe money to his boss. He reduces their debts to win favor. And then Jesus… praises him? “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.”

What are we supposed to do with that?

Jesus isn’t telling us to be shady. He’s saying: this guy saw the writing on the wall. He realized his situation was about to change, and he used the resources he had to prepare for the new reality. That’s wisdom. That’s kingdom thinking.

Jesus is saying: the kingdom of God is breaking in. Everything is about to change. So start looking at your money, your stuff, your time—whatever you trust in—with new eyes. Use it in a way that reflects the values of God’s kingdom, not just your own comfort.

Mammon Is a Tool, Not a Treasure
Jesus’ point is simple but disruptive: the problem isn’t money. The problem is serving it. Trusting it. Letting it shape your sense of worth or safety.

You don’t have to take a vow of poverty to follow Jesus. But you do have to be willing to see mammon as a tool rather than a treasure. That’s the difference between ownership and stewardship. That’s the difference between hoarding and generosity.

When Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” he’s not just talking about bank accounts. He’s talking about vision. Desire. Devotion.

And this is where Jesus’ metaphor about the eye comes in: “The eye is the lamp of the body.” In Hebrew culture, to have a “good eye” meant you were generous. To have a “bad eye” meant you were stingy or greedy. So when Jesus says your eye determines whether you walk in light or darkness, he’s saying: generosity is spiritual clarity. Greed is spiritual blindness.

What Are You Really Trusting?
So ask yourself: what is mammon for you?

What do you trust to keep you safe? What do you fear losing the most? What shapes the decisions you make about time, relationships, or risk?

Jesus isn’t interested in surface-level behavior. He’s after your loyalty. He’s not asking you to be broke. He’s asking you to be free.