Being A Good Steward Of Money

Now he did not say this because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief; and having the bag (the money box, the purse of the Twelve), he took for himself what was put into it [pilfering the collections]. John 12:6

My whole life I have heard so many Christians tell us that our Father demands that we be good stewards of our money. I have heard countless sermons on how God wants us to watch what we spend, that we need to manage our money well, and that we need to take thought of and have a plan for our financial success. The question is: is that really our Father’s demand? To see if it is, let’s look at Jesus and see how He handled His money? In John 12 we are told that Jesus, our Lord, our example, our perfect Savior, knowingly put a thief in charge of His money. Now that is not being a very good steward of money is it? I mean to knowingly take the money that could help further the Truth and allow a guy to hold it who you knew would take it, is not very wise.

The Truth though, is Jesus was perfect and so He had to be a good Steward of everything, even money. Jesus allowing Judas to steal the funds showed us that money means nothing at all and that we are not to take thought for it. The Bible repeatedly calls money filthy lucre. Putting any thought towards money is foolish. 

Jesus shows us this Truth through a parable. He tells us that there was a man who was a great steward of his money. Jesus tells us that the man totally prepared himself for retirement and when he was ready to enjoy it, he died. Jesus calls the man in the parable a fool, Luke 12:20. Jesus tells us throughout the Gospels to take no thought for money and the possessions of this world, Matthew 6:25. Jesus tells us to not labor for worldly savings accounts, Matthew 6:19. He tells us to give our money all away to the poor, Mark 10:21, and He tells us that being rich is actually a hindrance to serving the Kingdom, Luke 18:25.    

Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life? Matthew 6:25-27

So all the sermons that talk about our Father wanting us to be good stewards of money or that we should have big worldly bank accounts so that we can glorify the Kingdom are false. Just try to find in scripture where John the Baptist, Paul, Peter, or John were rich? Our savings accounts are only in Heaven and the only way to have anything in them is for our Father to empower us to place no trust in earthly wealth. When He does that, we will freely give it all away. To the world we will be terrible stewards of our money. We will pour perfume that costs a whole years wages on a persons feet, Mark 14:5. We will go out to the world with no money or plans, Luke 9:3. We will knowingly place a thief in charge of our cash. To the world we will be foolish, but to our Father we will be the wisest of all men!  

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21