Use temporal wealth for eternal purposes.
I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Luke 16:9
Jesus said this in the context of His telling of the parable of the shrewd manager. He followed it up with His statement that whoever is faithful in little will be faithful with much. He clarifies and illustrated that statement by saying,
“So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.” Luke 16:11-15
Our use of wealth in this life is a test of our hearts and can be a tool to use for eternal purposes. Are we seeking God or wealth? Are we living and serving for the kingdom of this world or the Kingdom of God? Clearly God has a purpose for our use of money other than our own pleasure and comfort. Jesus tells us to use temporal wealth for eternal purposes.
