In our world today, people idolize money and wealth as evident in the growing number of casinos, lotteries, and the preoccupation with the lives of rich celebrities. As Christians, we are not immune to the desire to accumulate wealth, but we are given a proper perspective on money in the Parable of the Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-14).
The Parable of the Unjust Steward
The steward used his position and wealth to prepare for the future (v9), and the Lord is teaching us that like the shrewd manager, we too should use the resources available to accumulate eternal riches. Christians should use the money they earn on earth for spiritual purposes, unlike the world that uses it for temporary gain.
Money’s true value lies in utilizing it for our eternal purpose. When we use the money to fund gospel outreach and to assist fellow believers, we store up riches in heaven.
Here are 3 valuable lessons we can learn from this parable:
Money is not true riches
Having money doesn’t mean that you are rich, as earthly riches are temporary and transient. But true riches are received in eternity. How we use the money we earn on earth; for self-upkeep or for God’s purposes, will determine our capacity to receive real, eternal riches.
Money is not our own
In the parable, the Lord says that if we can’t manage the things of others we can’t be entrusted with true wealth of our own. He reveals that earthly wealth is not our own but “another’s.” It has been entrusted to us by God. We are just stewards of money. We are accountable for how we use it. If we are not good stewards of money which is God’s, then we are unfit to receive our own eternal riches.
Money can become our master
Money can become our master, and control our lives if we make it the goal of our lives. Some believers give up scriptural principles for financial gain, only to experience spiritual loss for themselves and their family. God tells us that we cannot serve both God and mammon at the same time. We can serve one or the other, but not both.
The bottomline of this parable, is that money’s real value lies in its potential to be used for eternal purposes. We must be faithful stewards of our earthly resources, including money so that we can translate it into eternal riches.
