2496) In spite of their age, children are smart. Most realize that manipulating the right person can bring a better outcome.

For example, some of us knew which parent to ask for permission to do something and which one would say no. We’d, of course, go to the one most likely to give us what we wanted.

Matthew 6:24 isn’t speaking so much to kids who have learned to divide and conquer. It reveals the problem of listening to two masters; two people in charge.

In a business, there is a boss or CEO of a company. If the company is a success, this success often can be traced to one person in charge. A business benefits from having one person give the final say.

When reading Matthew 6:24, I am reminded that sometimes I am making myself the master of my life, rather than God. I can convince myself that I know best, without consulting the spiritual CEO. Divided loyalty does not improve our lives; it makes them more complicated.