BE A GOOD STEWARD OF GOD’S WEALTH IN YOUR CARE

SCRIPTURE:

“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.  10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?  13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”  14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.” (Luke 16:8—15)

OBSERVATION:

Jesus is contrasting how a shrewd dishonest manager acted when he was found by his master wasting his possession.  The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg.  I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

The shrewd manager knows how to work the system at least so he can be covered when he loses his job.  The dishonest manager didn’t just face the reality of losing his job.  He knows how to survived and use judgement in according to how the world system works.  So, in his dishonest dealings, at least he was thinking on how to survive. 

Jesus is no way wants us to be dishonest.  But he is contrasting how shrewd the people of this world in knowing how their system works, in comparison to the people of light.  He said, dishonest manager at least knows how to use the system to his advantage.

However the children of light should know that everything we own should be used to further God’s kingdom.  We the children of light are stewards of God’s kingdom.  Just as the unjust steward in the parable was “shrewd” in benefitting himself materially, so we should be “shrewd” in benefitting ourselves (and others) spiritually. We are to use the master’s resources to further the Master’s goals. We have been entrusted with material possessions, and we are to use them for the eternal benefit of others.

If God is our Master, then our wealth is at His disposal. The faithful steward whose Master is God will employ the wealth entrusted to him in building up the kingdom of God.

            Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.  God entrusted us with worldly wealth, what are we doing with it?  Are we using it for the Master and being good stewards of it? 

            And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?  “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

            What Jesus was saying, we are not to serve money and make money the thing to serve.  We are to serve God.  Money is to further his kingdom.  He gave us money not only to take care of ourselves, but also to further the master’s plan.   WE ARE NOT TO LOVE MONEY LIKE the Pharisees.  The Pharisees were sneering at Jesus talk about money because they LOVED money.  “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.”  The heart of a disciple of Jesus, must not love money more than they love God. 

APPLICATION:

            I want to be a good steward of God’s resources so I may be able to bless others that he directs me to help.  Everything I have is God’s, not only money, but time, talents and all there is that he has blessed me with for his service. 

PRAYER:

            Jesus, help me to know that everything you have given to me is not for me to be careless about but to use it wisely to fulfill your purpose in my life.  Please help me to be a good steward of what you entrusted to me for your purpose.  I look to you daily, to guide me and lead me.  Amen!