Luke 16:1-9,13

God made this earth go around, designing it to turn on its axis so life-giving sunlight is spread out for everyone each day. But, as the Cabaret song says, money also helps to make this world go around, making it possible for us to put a roof over our heads, buy the kids clothes, and much more. Those of us who are out of work or earning less than we used to know how important money has become.

Jesus told the story of an about-to-be-fired manager who figured out how to set up some job interviews for himself by going to his ex-boss's debtors and giving them some fantastic discount deals on their debts. The (former) boss was impressed by the manager's initiative and shrewdness, even though he was dishonest. Jesus commented that the people of this world (unbelievers, who live only for this life) are often sharper "businessmen," especially among themselves, than are believers who are living for eternity.

Then, he goes a step further and actually tells us to "use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings." Some who read those words wonder if Jesus is saying that we can use money to buy our way into heaven. Of course that is not true at all, because there is only one way into heaven: through the forgiveness that our Savior himself paid for us when he offered up his spotless life on the cross. His blood has a far greater value than any amount of money could provide, for all the money in the world can't pay for even a single soul.

We know that our souls have been paid for and heaven is promised to us, which is why we also are learning to master money. For many people, money and things of earthly value are idols for which they slave and sacrifice and even trade their souls. We believers, however, are working to make money the servant of our Lord Jesus because he's our master and the master is always more important than the money he provides. That's true financial freedom! We know that all earthly wealth comes from him and is given to us to manage wisely. We use it for necessities, including our proportionate offerings to our Savior. But we also use it in our disposable spending to help and serve others, "making friends," hopefully, in a way that brings glory to Jesus and might even open up possibilities for sharing the gospel with them. Jesus said that when we give a thirsty person a glass of water out of faith, we have done it for him (Matthew 25:35). Whether it is giving a Sunday School book to our neighbor's children or a Christian parenting book to their parents, helping a needy family pay their electric bill, or giving food baskets during the winter, the important thing is that we are serving our Savior and learning how liberating it is to master our money! It is our hope that our faithful use of money might actually open up gospel conversations that might lead to some souls being found by their Savior!

And one day, as he welcomes us into heaven, we will hear our precious Savior say, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world" (Matthew 25:34).