Luke 16:9"And I say to you, Make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings."
Luke 16:13"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
Jesus has a lot to say about money. It's pretty clear from Luke, chapter 16, that the world worships money far more than it worships God. We think that money gives worth to our lives since money gives worth to so many things in our lives. Money is how relationships of trade are made. Money becomes a convenient way to measure and compare our value with the value of others. Money translates into power and control and creates a social hierarchy. Money becomes a visible and convenient means of trust that can displace our trust in God. One of the great teachings that comes from this chapter is that money does have a great purpose. As we are faithful in serving others by properly handling their money we can demonstrate love and unselfishness. It is possible to exhibit love and service this way. We learn from verse 9 (above) that we will actually enjoy heavenly fellowship in the eternal dimension one day with people who will be in Heaven because they saw how we showed Christ's love through an unusual and unworldly approach to money. Where the world worships money, the Lord sees it as an opportunity for service. Rather than an expression of value and worth, it becomes a means of ministry and a demonstration of love and unselfishness. Our worth is already established by God and money can't add or diminish it. Money can't buy love, but it can provide a forum for demonstrating it (that is, for demonstrating Him!)
Money can be exchanged for goods and services here, but a love for money can be exchanged for a Heavenly love and a forever life in a place where money has no worth.
blessings,
Rob Smith
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