Calendar

PARABLE OF THE UNJUST STEWARD – MAKE FRIENDS!
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
Luke 16:1-12

Memory verse: Luke 16:9

 

“…Make to yourselves friends

of the mammon of unrighteousness…"

 

 

PARABLE OF THE UNJUST STEWARD – MAKE FRIENDS!
 
Making friends should be the quest of every believer. In this way, theycan win others for Christ. To have friends, the Bible says, we need to befriendly. One of the best ways to be friendly is to be generous. A stingyperson drives people away. At meal times, he never pays and expectsothers to foot the bill. This is especially true of full-time workers inchurches. They expect the congregation to give them “things” even whenthey asked them to buy certain things for them. They happily take themwithout offering to pay for them. Not only have they given themselves abad name, but they also give Christ a bad name.
 
In the Parable of the Unjust Steward, the unjust steward used money for personal gain. The conclusion of Jesus’ teaching is that unbelievers know how to use their material things for personal benefit. Can believers then not use material things in their lives for the glory of God? Before salvation, material things were the most important things in life because we treated them as true riches that could secure our future. Our future was earthbound and very materialistic. But after salvation, material things become the least important. God has become the most important. Jesus says so in Matthew 6:24: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
 
Believers hate mammon, i.e. money and all things material. What we hate, we let go of first. What we love, we let go of last when forced to do so. Help others materially so that we can help them spiritually. We cannot tell a person to be warm if we do not provide him with a cloak when we can afford it. We cannot only say to the person, “Let me pray for your exam,” when we can help him in his studies and yet not help. Offering concrete help is part of sharing lives and impacting others for Christ.
 
Therefore, let all believers be generous and friendly. Share your life, time and substance with others for their blessing and for God’s glory. Expect no kindness in return or any form of beneficial reciprocation. Do it for Christ’s sake. Love unconditionally and sacrificially.
 
THOUGHT: Am I friendly and generous?

PRAYER: Father, teach me to be more generous and friendly

 

Search