
âI tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.â Luke 16:9 (NIV)
Money is a toolâand tools are meant to be used. In fact, Jesus said, âI tell you, use worldly wealthâ (Luke 16:9 NIV).
Look again at the word he uses there: âuse.â Jesus doesnât tell you to love wealth or hoard it or worship it. He tells you to use it.
So whatâs the best way to use the money God allows you to have? Use your temporary resources for permanent good. In other words, use something that doesnât last (money) for something that will last for eternity.
There are lots of ways you can use your money for goodâbut the very best way you can use it is to invest in getting people into heaven.
The rest of Luke 16:9 says, âI tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellingsâ (NIV).
That verse is often misunderstood. Itâs not saying that you can buy friends or that you can purchase salvation. What it means is that you can use your money to build relationships that are going to last forever.
There are lots of ways to do that. You can give money to help a friend go on a mission trip. You can take an unbelieving friend out to lunch, building that relationship until theyâre ready to hear and receive the Good News. You can buy a Christian book for a friend who is struggling.
These are countless ways to use your âworldly wealthâ to make eternal investments.
Let me give you a little wisdom: Donât waste your money on stuff because stuff doesnât last. Only people and the Word of God will last for eternity. So the best investment you can make? Itâs not in the stock market or in real estate. Itâs in the Word of God and in people. Because those are the only things you wonât be leaving behind one day.
When you walk into heaven, I want a crowd to be there to welcome youâpeople who are there because you chose to invest in eternity while you were on earth. As Jesus said, âLay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be alsoâ (Matthew 6:20-21 ESV).Â
Talk It Over
In what ways are you using your money for good right now?
Are there times when you have loved money or hoarded money instead of using it for Godâs purposes? What was the result?
What eternal investments have you made with your money?