Allegiance to God's Kingdom II

Matt 6:24
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. you cannot serve both God and Money.

Of course we don't 'love' money do we? I don't believe that many of us think of money in terms of 'love.' 'Money can't buy happiness' we say, and I believe sincerely. the story is told of a preacher who, after the collection was taken, tossed out some of the one dollar bills and the fives too, dismissively and said, the Kingdom of God needs tens and twenties not ones and fives. It make me bristle just to type this story. I can't imagine having the audacity to say it. I CAN imagine how I would feel if I heard it said to me, and I wouldn't like it. But it is an interesting case study. I say that I don't love money, until I have to rearrange some of my own spending habits for the sake of my church or one of its ministries. I do want the love and support of God's Kingdom as present in the church, but am I willing to cut back on dinners out, DD coffee, or that recliner that I've always wanted, in order to offer more support to the Kingdom of God and through it, those in greater need than I?
'Love of money' is a subtle thing, that we don't realize we have succumbed to until we are asked to give up some of our own goods that money provides. Please notice that in writing this reflection, I used the personal pronoun 'I' most often. This reflection is as much a challenge to me as it is to you. I am not claiming to be the perfect example of pledging my allegiance to the Kingdom with finance. But the claim that Jesus makes is clear. It is my hope that together we can encourage and support each other in this financial pledge of allegiance and not leave our faithfullness in the realm of spirit and mind only.
blessings