𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠-𝗨𝗣

• If money weren't an issue, what is one thing you would buy or spend on? Why?

• What do you think is the best gift you have given? Tell us about it.

• Share one life hack that has helped you save money.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩, 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.”

𝗟𝗨𝗞𝗘 𝟭𝟲:𝟴-𝟵

(Read also 𝗟𝘂𝗸𝗲 𝟭𝟲:𝟭-𝟳, 𝟭𝟬-𝟭𝟯.)

Jesus shared with His disciples a parable that seemed unusual and quite different from others. This parable was about a dishonest manager who got fired after his master found out his wrongdoing. Because of this, he had to think and act fast. The dishonest manager had an idea to lighten the debt of those who owed his master, thinking that they would help him when he was out of a job. How can this parable help us think beyond wealth for personal use and instead understand its purpose for the advancement of God's kingdom? Today, let's look at some of the lessons Jesus taught from this parable.

𝟭. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗱𝗼𝗺.

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩, 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.” 𝗟𝗨𝗞𝗘 𝟭𝟲:𝟴-𝟵

The manager in Jesus' parable used his position for one last act that could help him in the future. This example was what Jesus referred to when He talked about shrewdness. God wants His children to also be shrewd in their use of their position and material possessions. However, in contrast to using these for personal gain, we are to maximize what we have to point people to God. The purpose of our wealth and resources is to give glory to God (Matthew 5:16) and draw people closer to Him. What do you think it means to live in light of the Kingdom of God rather than to live for our own lives or success?

𝟮. 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲.

"𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩. 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴? 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳’𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯?” 𝗟𝗨𝗞𝗘 𝟭𝟲:𝟭𝟬-𝟭𝟮

Sometimes, we think that taking responsibility only starts when we have a lot to manage and there's so much more at stake. But Jesus reiterated that our faithfulness even in the small things should come first before we are given much. Our attitude to what we have, whether big or small, determines how we see God. Being faithful shows that we recognize Him as our Provider, that we are stewards of what He has given us, and that His provision serves His greater purpose. As we are faithful with earthly or unrighteous riches, we will be entrusted with true, heavenly riches which do not perish and cannot be taken away from us. How have you seen this principle to be true in your life?

𝟯. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀.

“𝘕𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺.” 𝗟𝘂𝗸𝗲 𝟭𝟲:𝟭𝟯

This is a famous verse in the Bible, yet people often only take it as it is, without exploring what it truly means and how it affects our lives. Loving God or money isn't about a feeling, but about a decision—the choices and actions we make based on that decision. To love someone or something is to prefer to choose that one over others. Who or what we truly love is reflected in our choices and our actions. We are to check ourselves: Do we use our resources for God or worldly gain?

As we devote ourselves to God, ultimately He provides all that we need and more. Our lives are enriched as we experience His love, joy, peace, and grace. How does this truth help change your perspective about God and money?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• Is your heart, mind, soul, resources—your everything—devoted to God? Pray with a friend this week to surrender your all to God and if you haven't yet, pray to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

• Why do you think God desires to entrust us with true riches? How can you ensure that you are using your resources with a kingdom perspective?

• What are some ways you can leverage your resources for God's purpose? Who can you bless this week and preach the gospel to?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God for being a faithful provider. Pray that your heart and mind will be aligned to God's, especially when it comes to finances and resources.

• Ask for God to open your eyes to the true riches He has blessed you with. Pray for the wisdom to use your resources for His purposes and glory.

• Pray for more opportunities to be a blessing to others around you using the resources God blessed you with. Pray that this will turn into avenues for you to preach the Gospel.