Loading...Jesus, in His usual straightforward, heart-revealing style, addresses the issue of financial stewardship in Luke 16: 10-12. Here He draws an intriguing parallel between your use of money and your ability to be trusted with spiritual truth and blessing.
In Luke 16:10 Jesus says, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.”
Our Lord is saying that character takes precedence over amount of money given because character will determine the amount of money given. Thus people who say they would give large amounts of money if they had it, yet don’t give small amounts of what they have, are not telling the truth, according to Jesus.
Jesus says if you are not faithful with your ones, tens, and twenties, you won’t be faithful with hundreds and thousands. Thinking that small gifts don’t count is not thinking scripturally. The revelation of your true character is how much you support the Kingdom of God according to the means which are available to you.
Luke 16:11 reads, “If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” God uses your financial stewardship to determine how you handle spiritual truth and spiritual responsibilities within your church.
When you are unfaithful with your finances, you block yourself from receiving the truth from God’s Word, a necessity for your life (Matthew 4:4). You also disqualify yourself from spiritual service to the Body of Christ. This not only hinders your own spiritual growth, but also the growth of others around you.
Luke 16:12 says, “And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?” This verse has a two fold application for you. If you do not treat your employer’s business as if it were the Lord’s, your own hopes for advancement, or the hope for your own business someday, will be thwarted.
The second application is that a portion of your finances belong to God (Malachi 3:8). If you are not faithful to give Him what is rightfully His, you cannot expect His intended blessing in your life.
Sharing Christ through your gifts of love says a lot about your character. It opens your heart to God’s truth and paves the way for you to be used by God. In turn, your gifts of love secure your own financial well being. Proverbs 28:20 sums it up this way, “A faithful man shall abound with blessings….”
Fr. Tom
