Jesus taught many things about living life during his ministry.  When he taught about being faithful, he used stories of servants handling their master’s funds. From this, we can learn how to better handle the money God gives or trusts us with.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches the story of the unjust steward. (For a more detailed study on this story, follow this link) This steward used his master’s funds, which was a financial loss to his master, to make a good position for himself when he was let go. Jesus used this man as an example of what faithful was not.  The Pharisees, who loved money more than God, knew he was speaking about them, and it made them angry.

At the end of the story, Jesus makes four statements about faithfulness:

1.    Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:
2.    And he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. (This is what the steward was called in this record – unjust.)
3.    Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? (True riches – the truly spiritual understanding of God’s Word!)
4.    Luke 16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
(And if you have not been faithful in the use of that [earthly wealth] which belongs to another [whether God or man and of which you are a trustee], who will give you that which is your own? Amplified Bible)

This servant/steward had made his master poorer so that the servant could be taken care of when he was removed. The master said he was wise, but Jesus said:

Luke 16: And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Jesus used money to teach faithfulness because, at the end of the day, it is easy to count.  If the master had $1000.00 at the start of the week and only $500.00 at the end of the week, the steward did not prosper the master.  He prospered himself.  That is not faithful.

Now, in another story, the man gave some of his servants certain amounts of money and told them to trade with it, and he would take account when he returned.

Matthew 25:19-26 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. (This is the secret that the wealthy understand but the poor do not.)

So, the steward in the first story was found to be unfaithful and unjust. Two of the servants in Matthew were found to be good and faithful.

Jesus taught about faithfulness here by using money. (Interestingly the Greek word translated “faithful” in the gospels only occurs in one other scripture where it is translated believing. Thus, using money is the way Jesus taught about what faithfulness was). Consider this.  When David dedicated his things to the temple, he declared that everything we have comes from God, and it all still belongs to Him.  We are simply managers/stewards of the things God has trusted us with. As stewards/managers of God’s blessings/funds, He asks us to give some, to save some, and to stay out of debt.  As I have noted in other writings, if you start giving and saving when you are young, the results can be astounding.

Jesus taught what it was to be faithful using money. What would happen if the church taught financial responsibility?  Mostly you hear the church teach tithing.  Some churches go a step further and teach “give and it shall be given unto you”, but that is where the teaching stops.  This is just the beginning of the principles of prosperity. But this way the church receives its funds, and if they teach that God will give back to the giver, that is usually all you hear.  As to the rest of the principles of prosperity God included in His Word that I have covered in other blogs, well, they leave the believer dangling in the wind to figure it out for themselves.

Why do churches not teach about the proper handling of finances?  They are involved in teaching many other topics. The church is involved in everything from marriage counseling and parenting to running schools and homeless shelters. But running seminars on personal finance is not something that has ever been commonly done. Instead, the church has taught many negative things about money for thousands of years.  As soon as you bring up the topic of money in church circles, you are likely to hear, with a wagging finger, “the love of money is the root of all evil” or “you are storing up treasure on earth”. It is no wonder so many Christians have a hard time prospering. We cannot do or believe beyond what we are taught.

As I drive about the countryside in my state, I see many poor-looking churches.  I can’t help but think if these churches taught their people the great principles of prosperity that, their members would be much better off financially, and the church itself would not have to stand on the street and beg for money as I have seen some do.

Why not teach our young people the biblical principles? Teach them faithfulness in the things of God using money as the tool, as Jesus did! Show them how to give, how to save, and how then to stay out of debt.

When we are faithful in the physical things of this world, unrighteous mammon, we show God and others we can be trusted. Jesus then said we will be given more in the way of finances. And then we can be trusted with the truly spiritual things of God.

Proverbs 28:20 – “A faithful man will abound with blessings.”
1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Note: He is made ruler over many things, not just a steward of money.  Why?  He was a faithful man and would carry out the additional duties with that same faithfulness.)

Faithful to carry out God’s Word with our money is just the beginning.  God has promised we will abound with blessings as we pursue this discipline in pursuit of The Prosperous Life.