#DailyDevotion You’ve Been Trusted With Little. What Have You Done With It?
Luke 1610If you can be trusted with very little, you can be trusted with much. And if you’re dishonest with very little, you’re dishonest with much. 11If you couldn’t be trusted with wicked money, who will trust you with that which is really good? 12 And if you couldn’t be trusted with someone else’s things, who will give you your own?
Picking up on the theme of the unrighteous steward and his stewardship or lack thereof and the children of light’s lack of wisdom compared with how the children of the world are wiser when it comes to their own, Jesus then addresses us with our stewardship of all that he gives us.
So you have been in this life trusted with little. No matter what the world thinks you may have it is little. Now you may only have a little of worldly ungodly money in worldly terms. Then again, you may have a decent amount or even a great amount. You may think you earned whatever you have but remember it is the Lord who makes one man rich and another man poor. (1 Sam. 2:7, Prov. 22:2) Whatever you have it is on loan from God. Now these words of Jesus are a set up to some of his teaching later in Luke in chapter 19.
Now, sufficient to say, you will be held accountable, as Christians, as to what you did with the wicked wealth God has entrusted you with. What are you going to do with it? The Lord has entrusted you with a little while he is away. What does he want you to do with it? Jesus gives us a clue in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. He wants us to take care of the people he has given us as his own personal icons to be served as objects of our sacrifices made with wicked wealth(money). These personal icons of Jesus are the poor, the widow, the orphan, the foreigner as the gate and his pastors. You are called to take care of your neighbor that is in need, particularly your Christian brother or sister, i.e. fellow believers for you lawyers at heart.
It is written in the Torah, Deut. 2612“When you have finished taking all the tenth parts of your products in the third year, the year when the tenth is taken, and have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow to eat in your towns…” Here and throughout the scriptures we are condemned if we take care of these people and blessed if we do. James recalls this in his letter. Paul takes a collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem. He tells us those who preach the good news should make their living from it. And of course there are Jesus repeated lessons about taking care of he poor.
Now you have been entrusted with this little bit of wicked wealth. Jesus is going to ask you to give an accounting of what you did with it. Remember the parables of the talents and the minas. Paul in 1 Cor. 3 tells us our works will be tested with fire that have been built upon our foundation, Christ. That which remains will be brought into the kingdom. As those who were entrusted with little, i.e. talents or minas were faithful and received cities and the joy of their master. Jesus wants to entrust you with what is really good (whatever that is). He wants to give your own (whatever that will be). Have you been faithful with the little he has entrusted you?
The Father has entrusted Jesus with your salvation. He was faithful in that mission. He has overwhelmingly provided what is necessary for you and the whole world to be saved. As such, you can always be certain of your salvation based on what Jesus has done. Because of this, Jesus has been given the kingdom of heaven. You have been invited freely to enter it and be part of it. The question is what will your share be in it on that day?
Heavenly Father, you have entrusted us with wicked wealth to do your will upon the earth. Grant us your Holy Spirit and your Wisdom to use it as you intended so we may receive from the hand of Christ on the Last Day the rewards you have planned for those who trust in you and do your will. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.