Money (or other assets such as food, shelter or clothing) touches everyone’s lives. It is a universal truth for all humanity. No matter the time or the place we live, we will have a relationship with money.
We don’t have to find some cryptic prophecy to decipher to know Jesus’ teaching on money. He tells us what our relationship with money should be.
“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. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? Luke 16:10-11 NIV
Jesus makes two points with one statement.
1. Money is at the bottom of the “Value Scale” of riches.
2. We must be faithful (and honest) with our money.
Conclusion: How will God trust you with real riches if you are not faithful with money.
Faithful stewardship requires effort, focus and regular intentional energy. Many would like to believe that if they focus only on the “Spiritual Things” and all the other stuff will take care of itself. But this attitude toward money, time, or daily tasks does not take into account our FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP.
Avoiding the effort to manage your assets is a hidden laziness that sometimes masquerades as hyper-spirituality. It is a misreading of Mathew 6.
Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up treasures on Earth but in Heaven.
Matthew 6:24 Do not serve money (don’t love riches – I Timothy 6:10)
Matthew 6:25-34 Do not worry about your basic provision (when you are trusting in God’s goodness)
Matthew 6 is the foundation of proper stewardship of our assets. It was spoken in a time of history that everyone had to manage well or there was a good possibility they would starve or fall into abject poverty. The rural farm-based economy knew storehouses were a necessity to have a crop the next year. It is only in our time that anyone would suggest that we should or could survive by just “giving everything away.”
Paul also addresses our personal individual stewardship when setting the requirements of those who would receive material assistance from the church.
And whoever does not provide for relatives and especially family members has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. I Timothy 5:8
Balance your checkbook. Pay your rent on time. Don’t over-speed with credit cards. Plan, save, give and intentionally put effort into being a good steward of the lessor things – money. Then God will be able to trust you with the more valuable things.