”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. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? 13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” 14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.” Luke 16.10-15
[This passage can not be read without the first ten verse before it in Luke 16.1-10. I suggest rereading that section as it’s all one long teaching by Jesus.]
In these verses we find many very quotable and famous sayings. “No one can serve two masters…” and “You cannot serve both God and money.”
The teaching from Jesus is one he lingers on often. One source says, “It’s almost alarming how much Jesus talks about money. He discussed the topic of money more often than He spoke of faith and prayer combined. Jesus typically taught in parables—and 11 of His 40 parables were about money or used money as a way to teach us spiritual truths.” [https://www.jesusfilm.org/blog-and-stories/jesus-talk-about-money.html]. Jesus spoke often about money. Why? “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6.21).
The specific teaching about money in this segment doesn’t seem to bash money completely. I mean, if someone can be “trusted with very little, one can be trusted with much,” (v.10). Caring for money in a responsible way is significant. It appears to be the “love” of money which is evil, not money itself. Again, Jesus implies that if you can be trusted with worldly wealth you can be trusted with true (eternal) riches (v.11). But as he emphatically states – “no one can serve two masters. You can not serve both God and money.”
Do we see people in this world serving and loving money? Absolutely! It’s all around us. We honor it, worship it, love it. We worship wealth on social media and are envious of those who have it. We play the lottery in hopes that a 100 million dollars will bring happiness, but in truth it can only bring heartache. Those who have been trusted with much wealth often struggle with how to use it, spend it and distribute it. Yet many Godly people blessed with much offer it for the growth of the Kingdom of God.
Having money isn’t bad, managing it well for God is the key. However, the Pharisees who were listening to Jesus who “loved money” heard everything Jesus said and they “sneered” at him. But Jesus replied in v.15, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.”
So this is the trick….value nothing more highly than God, his love for you and growing the Kingdom. If you have money, use it for his glory. If you have riches, share it with the poor. Be an ambassador for goodness, kindness and love. Don’t adore your riches, but place your affections in Christ alone.
“O Lord God, you are so faithful. Thank you for blessing us with so much that we might use whatever we have for your good and to make disciples. Nothing is more important than saving souls! Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me with your power and love. Help us to manage well what you have given us so that we might represent you, grow your Kingdom and bring you honor. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen