Advent Devotional: The Gospel of LukeSample

*Written by Bemnet Wondimagegnehu Mersha

A few things define a person on this earth; one of the biggest ones is how we use our economic resources. I once read that if a father is meeting his daughter’s boyfriend for the first time and wants to learn more about him in just a few minutes, one effective way to do so is to examine the boyfriend’s bank statement from the past year. This can provide valuable insight into his life values. How one spends his money reveals a lot about that person and shows the values of his life.

Jesus, in Luke chapter 16, speaks about money. At first, we see a shrewd manager who acts deceptively but shrewdly to gain friends with worldly wealth. Then Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their selfish values. Their values show that God is not their master but their possession. Finally, Jesus uses the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to talk about how we should use our economic resources to help those in need. We learn three lessons from this chapter.

1. We are stewards of our economic resources

The economic resources we have are given by God and belong to him. We are stewards of all these resources. The way we manage our economic resources can bring glory to God or cause God’s name to be defamed. Just as the shrewd manager’s use of the master’s economic resources brought a bad name to his master (Verse 1), our use of resources can bring a bad name to God.

2. Our expenses show our values

The way we use our resources speaks a lot about our values and character. The one who is dishonest with little things is to be dishonest in much (10-12). Jesus then reveals that the way we handle our money or economic resources tells a lot of things about us. If we are trustworthy with the way we spend our money or economic resources, it reveals our character of faithfulness (11-12). The way we handle our economic resources, whether small or big, shows our values. It also reveals who our ultimate master in this life is (V.13). No one can serve both God and wealth. If a person wants to serve both God and wealth, he will hate the one and love the other. Love for God is incompatible with love for money. Love for money causes a person to hoard it without care for those in need. In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul says that the love of money is the root of all evil.

3. Economic resources should be used with heavenly values

Use your worldly resources for the kingdom of God. Jesus’ main point in this chapter is to use our resources with the kingdom of heaven as our priority. We should use our resources to help the needy. We should manage our resources in a way that brings glory to God. The world advises us to spend our economic resources greedily on our wants without any regard for others. Those who serve God invest their economic resources in the way that pleases God. Jesus wanted to focus on using our resources to help those in need and for the sake of the kingdom of God. The story of the rich man and Lazarus (19-31) is that we have to use our money to support those in need.

How are you spending your economic resources? Do you habitually give for the work of God’s kingdom through tithing or offering? Do you spend your money wisely, allocating it to various aspects of your life, or do you find yourself always living beyond the means of your income? Does the way you spend your money show that you are greedy? How you spend your money reveals much more about you than you think. God desires you to be a person that spends your money in a way that glorifies him.

Let's pray: God, we thank you for your word today. Thank you for showing us how to use the economic resources you have given us. You have given us economic resources because you want us to use them for the sake of your kingdom. Help us to be wise in the way we spend our economic resources. Give us wisdom to know that you desire us to be wise stewards of our resources. Forgive us for not caring for those in need and being greedy in the way we spend your economic resources. Give us the wisdom to manage it always wisely for the sake of your glory. Help us to always be directed not by greed but by love for you as we manage the economic resources you have given us. Amen!

Reflection Questions:

1. Make a rough estimate of your monthly spending on different things. Estimate the top ten components that consume your economic resources, with one being the most significant expense and ten the least.
2. Does the way you spend your money show your love for God or your love for luxurious, extravagant living? How much did you invest in the kingdom of God, like tithing, offering, or helping those in need?
3. How can you correct your spending to glorify God with it?