What Jesus Taught

by Osborne J. P. Widtsoe

Single-minded loyalty.

Now, it needs no long explanation to show that those who have succeeded in placing themselves in the attitude of little children, are also in an attitude of single-minded loyalty to God. Jesus insisted that men must be loyal to God, and that, too, with singleness of purpose and singleness of thought. You have learned in your daily lives which associates you can trust and which you cannot trust. You know very well that if a boy's thoughts are always good, he is not very likely to become guilty of any seriously wrong act. You know that if a girl's motives are good, she is not likely to become guilty of evil. Jesus knew these truths, too. He was anxious, therefore, that the minds of men should become filled with thoughts of God—that the dominating motive in their minds should be to serve God. For He knew very well that a man dominated by the motive of Godly service would be arrayed against sin; whereas, one not so dominated might easily be overcome by the wily suggestions of the tempter.

No man can serve two masters.

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is there will your heart be also."

When we learn that, in the Jewish belief, the heart was the seat of thought and intelligence, then this saying of the Teacher becomes plain indeed. It is impossible for anyone to have two chief centers of interest. If a man devote his thought and intelligence to the laying up of wealth, he will of course neglect his duty to God. For, said Jesus, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon."

A simple application.

Everyone knows how true this saying is. Let us apply it to some of our own likes. All boys and most girls like baseball. Every boy and every girl should like to keep the Sabbath holy. Now, if a boy begins to yield to the temptation to play baseball on Sunday, it is not long, ordinarily, before his surrender is complete, and the playing of baseball on Sunday becomes for him a regular practice. What has then happened to his attendance at the Sunday School and the sacrament service? The boy is scarcely if ever seen there. Do you ask why? This boy started by trying to serve both God and Mammon. But the things of God are displeasing to Mammon; and the things of Mammon are displeasing to God. Oil and water, you know, will not mix. As the boy grew in his love for baseball on the Sabbath, he grew also in his hatred for the duties he owed to his God. As he held tenaciously to his baseball on the Sabbath, he despised the service of the great King. Truly, one cannot have two chief centers of interest. "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon."

A parable in point.

And the folly of the worship of Mammon is so clear, that it is surprising that men will ever fall into error. Jesus illustrated this truth with an excellent parable. "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him. Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

The light of the body.