Luke 16 - 9.16.25
SCRIPTURE: Luke 16:9 "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings."
OBSERVATION: I wasn't sure exactly what this Scripture meant, but according to 'Got Questions', "Jesus is not saying that believers should gain wealth dishonestly and then be generous with it. We are to use our worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Just as the dishonest manager in the parable was shrewd in benefitting himself materially, so we should be shrewd in benefiting ourselves and others spiritually. When we give to missions, support our local church, or meet the needs of others, we are using "unrighteous, worldly wealth" to build up the kingdom of God and lift up the name of Jesus. We are being shrewd in our dealings in this world when our eyes are on the "eternal homes" we will one day inhabit with our "friends" in Christ."
While Jesus was telling the parable of the shrewd manager, He included the verse above. The parable of the unjust steward is told for the benefit of the disciples. In this parable the characters are both wicked - the steward as well as his manager.
Jesus used this parable to teach a spiritual principle. After the rich man discovered that his manager was being dishonest with his possessions, he knew it was time to remove him from his job. Once the manager found out his job was going to be taken away, he made the shrewd decision to go around and reduce the debt of all who owed his master. He did this so he would have friends to run to after he had no job. Believe it or not, when the rich man heard about what his manager had done to him, he commended him! He had just been ripped off big time, so why in the world would he commend the manager? (Two bad minds think alike!).
In His application of the story, Jesus says, "For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light." Here Jesus contrasts the "sons of the world (the unbelievers) to the "sons of light" (believers). (GotQuestions).
APPLICATION: Jesus encourages His followers to be good, honest stewards with our money, time, resources and possessions. We are to be generous givers with the wealth He has given us. We are not to store up for ourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal, but we are to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven. For where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19).
PRAYER: I thank You God for everything You have provided for me to live on this earth. I pray I will be a generous giver to be able to meet the needs of others. I pray first and foremost that I will be faithful to give back to You what You have required of me, (10 percent of our income). Since everything we have belongs to You, how gracious You are to only require 10 percent of our income back to You! I pray after we tithe that Anthony and I will be faithful to look for ways to use our resources to be a blessing to others. There's something so amazing that happens when we tithe! You have promised that when we do, You will open up the heavens and pour out blessings that we will not be able to contain! Both Anthony and I have put our trust in You regarding tithing since 1980, and we have experienced countless ways throughout the years how You have provided over and over again for us! And...we have discovered that it is impossible to out give You! May we be faithful to give what belongs to You, and be generous to the ones who You prompt us to give to. I pray we will continue to put You first in our lives, AND in our finances, and I thank You for the wonderful promise You gave us that says, "If we seek You first and Your righteousness, all the things we need will be given to us". (Matthew 6:33) Amen
- Robin Orefice
