Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48
“In the pursuit of the perfection of the Father, Jesus’ disciples will encounter a number of everyday concerns that have the potential to deter them from undivided loyalty to the kingdom and its righteousness. The first one he discusses is wealth… The accumulation of wealth for its own sake is deceptive, because one can find in material treasure a false sense of security or an inaccurate assessment of one’s spirituality.”
Michael J. Wilkins in Matthew (NIVAC: Grand Rapids; Zondervan Academic, 2003) 292-93.
My eight-day retreat reminds me to focus on teachings of Jesus that relate to money. The primary text of Jesus on the topic is the Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus calls for perfection, which must be understood as not getting it always right but getting our lives into alignment with God’s way. Are you out of alignment? Do you seek security in wealth? Do you have undivided loyalty? Only you can answer these questions. Do it honestly.
And remember what day it is. It’s Maundy Thursday. It’s the day Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and had the last supper, which we observe to this day. He had an undivided heart, and went to the cross for us. Let’s follow suit. Set aside any thoughts or motives that cling to anything but Him.