Money: Use only as Directed

Good afternoon, saints of God! The readings for this Sunday are. Psalm 113; Amos 8:4-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-7; Luke 16:1-15. No doubt about it, Jesus’ parable in verses 1-9 of the Gospel is a bit of a head-scratcher even for pastors and Bible commentators, so don’t feel bad if its meaning isn’t immediately clear to you. What is clear from the readings as a whole is that our money and possessions have a unique ability to derail us spiritually. They can make us callous to the needs of the poor, as they did in Amos’ day, or even cause us to abandon our scruples entirely and walk away from God. On the other hand, money and possessions can also be put to good and God-pleasing use, affecting not only this life but also the Life to come. How accurately do your finances reflect your spiritual values? In what areas is there room for growth? These are challenging questions, to be sure. God help us as we wrestle with Your Word!