Serve God or Money

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." - Matthew 6:24 ESV

Being a salaried employee all my life, it seems easier to say that I choose to serve God rather than money.  But it seems that I've come face-to-face with this issue once again.

I'm now a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, and soon to be a Certified Strategic Strengths Coach.  StrengthsFinder is an amazing tool, and God has bless the meet-up group which I created with good people.  In the Jul session, we had a turn out of 20 pax, and had to turn 2 pax away because the room was packed!  I believe this to be God's blessing as I had never known whether this group will grow or die.  Or what direction I will take the group towards.

One of the objectives initially was that this group will eventually lead to people who would become paying clients.  But as I pondered about the G12 vision (focus on Numbers vs Focus on cause), I realised that I have a similar choice to make with my meet-up group.  

Focus on Monetization or Focus on a Cause? 

At this juncture, I have members of the group asking, what's the end-goal of this group.  Is there something more that we can do?   I can see that many are looking for an opportunity to meet a need.

I have met several people who are looking to create a program youths, and some for youth-at-risk.  One of the target groups that I have a burden for.   The question then is now.... how do I steer the group.

The bible is pretty direct... that if I were to serve God as my master.... then I would need to hate and despise money.  Whoa..... what does that mean??

I think that if I were to steer the meet-up group towards making money, then it would no longer be a harvest-field for the Lord.  And I feel that I need to identify a vision for the group to meet a need of some specific group and then bring the people together to meet this need.  And I believe through this, we can bring the power of the Holy Spirit, and the blessings of God the Father upon the lives of people that we touch.  And through this, we can start reaching out to the group who are engaged in this cause.

I don't have an answer as yet..... but I believe that God will supply my needs.  And if I were to focus on monetising it, then I would have lost the right to steward this group.

I pray that the next update would lead me to a clearer direction of what to do.   After all, I need to invest the talents that God has given me.