“And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”-Luke 16:9
God is not clamoring for our wealth, and His means are not limited to ours. However, since this world is governed with money. Debtors and creditors. Wealth and means. How might the disciple of Christ navigate this relationship between wealth and God? Is the answer living in voluntary poverty? Leave it all, owning nothing? Or, rather, “make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness.”
In verses one through eighth of this chapter Jesus talks of an unjust steward who was to be put out of his stewardship because he wasted his lord's goods. When faced with poverty he resolved to use his influence to bridge the gap between two parties. His lord and his lord's creditors. He called the ones that owed his lord money and agreed with them for a part of the whole: “take a bill and write down fifty”. This served two purposes, it endeared him to his lord, and won favor with the creditors. That way once he was fired from stewardship, he would have many friends (creditors) who would return the favor (job offers, lodging, etc.). I mean, who doesn't love a good deal right? Who isn't happy to see the guy who got you the deal? If someone convinced your bank to reduce your mortgage by half, wouldn’t you be glad to see them? He took this action because he failed, because he knew his time was up and found common ground amidst two opposing parties. Herein is the lesson for us; faithfulness to God’s Word is the best action to take when dealing with money. We are judged by God on how we handle money. I believe Jesus put forth this lesson to the disciples because very soon they would lead the greatest spiritual awaking the world would ever know. In that, hundreds would sell their possessions and lay the sum at the Apostle’s feet. These men with nothing, would very quickly be responsible for fortunes. How are they to deal with that money? By recognizing that they cannot serve it, but they must serve God with it. So they did, by financing missions, by caring for widows, orphans, the poor, sick, and needy. Feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. Where they couldn’t go the money did. What they couldn't do with the money helped. They realized that it was never meant to stay stagnant or sit in an account somewhere, but it was to be used! To be bridled, saddled, and driven for God’s purposes. Received, and given. Distributing to the necessity of the saints. This track record cemented a relationship with God, and caused them to be received into “everlasting habitations” for the work lives on, as does the example.
Faithfulness in our finances is a reflection of our relationship with God. It goes far beyond cheating and stealing, but down to the how, where, and what we put our money into. This is a reflection on where our hearts truly are. If we cannot be "faithful in unrighteous mammon,” how can God “commit to our trust the true riches?” The Apostles understood this. They coveted the Spirit and gave away the money. Can it be said of the church today that we covet the money and give away the Spirit? God is looking for faithfulness, not frivolity. For sobriety, not surfeiting. Generosity is the bridge between two opposing parties; the mammon of unrighteousness and the righteousness of God. Since we are reluctant to give away what we love, generosity demonstrates what you love. For if you cannot let it go, you can covet it. Charity trusts, and faithfulness goes beyond accounting for every dollar and reaches into accounting for every dollar; while we let “our moderation be known unto all men for the Lord is at hand.” Namely, what did you do with what God gave you?
