Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 16 : 9-13 "A QUICK REVIEW"
Day 198 – Luke 16
Text: Luke 16 : 9-13
A QUICK REVIEW
Jesus had lots to teach His Disciples. His approach to money matters was truly different. Let’s take a quick review of what He taught His Disciples.
1. They were firstly corrected for their wrong approach towards the issue of material wealth.
2. Instead of lagging behind in financial matters, Jesus taught His disciples how to develop a positive approach to money. They were to “make friends with unrighteous mammon”.
3. They must prove themselves to be good and faithful stewards of wealth entrusted to them.
4. They must be careful of the problem of unrighteousness. That would lead to unfaithfulness with potentially dangerous consequences.
“NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS…” Luke 16:13
Jesus concluded this short discussion on money matters with a word of warning. While there is nothing wrong with wealth, there must be great care exercised. The biggest problem is that of choosing our master.
There was no mincing of words when Jesus taught this truth. The problem associated with wealth is that one ends up owning it as a master. He went on to speak about how one cannot serve two masters.
Again, we must declare that though this danger exists, the fact is that wealth comes from God. Let us read what God promised Israel as it stood poised to enter the Promised Land of Canaan.
“For the Lord your God is bringing you
into a good land, a land of brooks of water,
of fountains and springs,
that flow out of valleys and hills;
A land of wheat and barley,
Of vines and fig trees and pomegranates,
A land of olive oil and honey;
A land in which you will eat bread
Without scarcity,
In which you will lack nothing…
When you have eaten and are full,
Then you shall bless the Lord your God
For the good land which He has given you.
And you shall remember the Lord your God,
For it is He who gives you power to get wealth,
That He may establish His covenant
Which He swore to your fathers…”
Deuteronomy 8:7-10, 18
God should be the only Master of our life. We need not fear that we would lack anything if God were to be acknowledged as the Master of our life. He would do His part and more. He would bless our lives according to our faithfulness.
Our part is to remember that the Lord our God is the One who has enabled us to obtain wealth!
Who is “the other master”? It could well be SELF. We have to exercise great caution and control of SELF. We cannot serve SELF and God at the same time.
Another master could well be Satan. He would always seek to lure people away through wealth. Jesus Himself was tempted by Satan with the kingdoms of this world (Luke 4:5). There cannot be two masters. One cannot serve God and Satan.
AN APOSTOLIC WORD OF ADVICE CONCERNING THE PURSUIT OF RICHES
The Apostle Paul had an important word of advice for Timothy. In the concluding chapter of his first pastoral letter to Timothy, he wrote,
“Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world,
And it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and clothing,
With these we shall be content.
But those who desire to be rich
Fall into temptation and a snare,
And into many foolish and harmful lusts
Which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,
Which some have strayed from the faith
In their greediness, and pierced themselves through
With many sorrows.”
1 Timothy 6:6-10
We would do well to heed Paul’s warning about “the desire to be rich”. Paul was not against wealth either. However, he was aware of how DESIRE can be a terrible master. Those who desire to be rich can fall into temptation easily. They can be ensnared just as easily.
Paul must have seen people yield to foolish and harmful lusts. He must have seen how some men had drowned in destruction and perdition. He had also seen some stray from the faith!
Let us be challenged to own only ONE MASTER. Let us never allow wealth to master us. Let us plan “to do good… and to be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share…” (1 Timothy 6:18).