There is a story I love where a country boy says to farmer, who has some of the most beautiful land and crops he’s ever seen, “Look how God has blessed you with such a wonderful crop and beautiful land.” The farmer replies, “Yes, the Lord has blessed me indeed, but you should have seen the place before God and I were partners.”
Genesis 2:15
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Many of us are familiar with Matthew 25:14-30 that speaks of the parable of the talents in which the master gave one servant five talents, another servant three talents, and the last servant one talent. The two servants that got the five and three talents invested them and made a good return. However, the one servant who received the one talent was scared to take a risk with any of it because he lived in fear and had no faith. The master was so upset with the servant who did nothing with the one talent that he took it from him and gave it to the first servant who had been given the five talents and doubled it.
Does this lead you to ponder how you are doing with what God is allowing you to manage, even if it is just a few dollars? Are you spending what’s left after your basic needs on stuff that will eventually rust and be worthless or investing it for kingdom building purposes?
Luke 16:10
He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.
How are you doing with the little things? When a child asks for a few dollars and is responsible with it, are you more likely to give him more the next time he asks? What about the child that is irresponsible? Should we not expect the same treatment when we are given a little and we either manage it well or blow it?
THE FOLLOWING THREE SCRIPTURES GIVES US SOME GREAT GUIDANCE FOR MANAGING WHAT GOD IS GIVING US…
Proverbs 13:11
Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
Ecclesiastes 11:2
Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.
Proverbs 15:22
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER: MONEY IS NOT EVIL, BUT THE LOVE OF MONEY IS.
1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”