Stewardship In God's Kingdom

Money is a delicate subject that requires our utmost care. Our actions depict what we truly believe, and if we're not careful, we might end up replacing God with money. Jesus said that it was difficult for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God because they often become self-reliant when most of their basic physical needs are met. When they feel empty, they think buying something new will fill the void, instead of seeking God. Their abundance becomes their deficiency. A man's life is not dependent on what he has on earth - it's eternal life that matters. Sometimes, people believe that money is the answer to everything, quoting Ecclesiastes 10:19. Still, Ecclesiastes 5:10 warns against the love of money and its inability to bring true happiness. Money is necessary for survival, but loving it is a sin (Matthew 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5).

Scripture does not say that possessing wealth is a sin. However, it's how we handle it that matters. The young man who came to Jesus, wondering what he could do, left realizing what he was unable to do. Barriers might keep us from turning our lives over to Christ. Our attitude toward money shows whether it is our servant or our master. Although Jesus asked the young man to sell everything and give to the poor, not all believers should sell all their possessions. We have our families to care for. Most of Jesus' followers did not sell everything; they used their possessions to serve others. This story shows that we must not let anything we have or desire keep us from following Jesus. We must remove all barriers to serving Him fully.

Life without God is meaningless. "For what hope do the godless have when God cuts them off and takes away their life?" (Job 27:8, NLT). We must not stop preaching the gospel. Therefore, we should give to support gospel ministers who can effectively carry out this great commission. God wants people who will prosper His Kingdom, those who will partner with Him to save souls (2 Peter 3:9). He wants to transfer great wealth to those who are trustworthy and committed to moving His Kingdom forward. Everything in the world belongs to God; He only needs good stewards to manage His resources effectively.

If we're faithful with the little we have, God can entrust us with more. Giving is like planting a seed that grows into a tree and bears fruit. The Lord increases our seed from the fruits He gives us so that we can sow more. The more we sow, the more we reap. In the story of the king's servants, it is clear that those who don't use their wealth wisely will lose it to the wise. And in the story of the young rich man, Jesus made it plain that we should sell and share what we have to have treasure in heaven. Jesus is always concerned about our rewards in heaven because that's eternal; what we have here is temporary. He tells us not to store treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths or get rusty or where thieves break in and steal (Matthew 6:19).

In conclusion, let us be careful with the way we handle money. Let us not love it but use it as a means of blessing others and serving God. Money can deceive us into thinking that it is the easiest way to get what we want, but we should instead focus on seeking God and investing in His Kingdom. Remember, what we have here is temporary, but eternal life is what matters.