God’s glory needs no embellishment. He exudes power, presence and perfection.

In fact, He does not need our wealth to be impressive. When Moses was awe struck by God, it was through a burning bush. (Exodus 3:2,3) With Gideon, it was a wet fleece covered with dew and a dry fleece when the rest of the ground was saturated. (Judges 6:38,39) For King Hezekiah, it was the movement of the shadow backwards up the stairs. (2Kings 20:10)

In this parable below, we learn that serving God should be undertaken with as much diligence and precision as a manager for a wealthy employer.*

What the world values is reflected by the time taken and where honest (or in this case dishonest) effort is afforded.

“Unrighteous” wealth may be a good teacher but it is not the beautiful destination we truly desire.

My first somewhat official job was working for our neighbors (along with my sister). We were excited to muck out the horse stables, feed, brush and water the 5 beauties. Not because it smelled like a barn in our “shed” or mud room when we came home but because on Saturdays we could ride them.

I barely remember the money I earned, but I’ll always remember the time we were allotted to ride around our acreage, cantering through the fields.

In the same way, we are faithful in worldly occupations to learn valuable life lessons. God is refining us to care for ourselves, our families and to also care for those who need a helping hand.

We are required to learn much so that we can reach the beautiful destination of being part of God’s glorious kingdom.

Keeping God as the focal point of our wonder (in contrast to the myriads of “not so amazing” human achievements), we can run unhindered in the race He has set before us. – Teresa #treasureinjarsofclay

Luke 16:1-13 English Standard Version**

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

16 He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. ² And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ ³ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.⁴ I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ ⁵ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ⁶ He said, ‘A hundred measures^[a] of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’⁷ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures^[b] of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’⁸ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world^[c] are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. ⁹ And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth,^[d] so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

¹⁰ “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. ¹¹ If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? ¹² And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? ¹³ No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

*MatthewHenry’sCommentary

**TheOneYearBibleOnline