Articles

Can I be Trusted?

Written by Myles MacMillan.

“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."(NIV) Luke 16:10

Jesus says these words when delivering the "Parable of the Shrewd Manager". This parable talks about a manager who is accused of wasting his master's money. I think one of the things this parable is meant to address is how we use the money and possessions God has given us. As someone living in North America, I am bombarded with messages about how I should use my money to please myself. We are told daily to look after ourselves first and to buy lots of nice things for ourselves because we deserve it, but the Bible says something very different about the money and possessions we have.

Many of us are in different financial situations from rich to poor and one thing to remember is that God can use both ends of the spectrum for His glory. It's not a sin to be rich, but if we find ourselves in this blessed position, we need to remember at least two things. The first is that we are stewards, not owners of the money and possessions we have which means we should hold them with an open hand, allowing God to give and take as He pleases. Second is that we should realize the great responsibility we have because of what God has blessed us with. Unlike the shrewd manager, we need to be careful not to waste the things He has given us on ourselves but instead use it to help others and to glorify Him.

One of my favorite passages regarding money comes from 1 Timothy 6:17-19 which says: "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." We see here the responsibility that comes along with the blessings that God gives us and how we must fight against the message of this world to focus only on ourselves. Instead of being selfish, we must be willing to share so in order to experience “the life that is truly life”.

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