"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?” Luke 16:10-12

Money per se is not evil. But once we put our trust in money, or on our wealth, this becomes our god. The Lord wants to bless us, every one of us have been called by God to be prosperous with all our needs well provided for and with an extra for those who are in need and poor. The Lord discussed money more than any topic in the Bible and this frequent discussion is related to how we are using our resources well.

Those who are wise use their money well, grow it and have more for others too. In the parable of the shrewd manager the very reason that he was commended is because at the very end of his term as a manager, he made shrewd arrangements with his master’s debtors.

Coming to his senses that his position will not last anymore and having done wickedly at the first, he repented of his misdeeds, quickly removed his share in the debts owed by others to his master. He trusted that this act of kindness will one day be reciprocated by those whom he has reduced their debts. His motive was to be accepted by them either by taking him into their firms as manager or adviser once he loses his job.

Then the Lord observed that the people of this world knew better the principles of the kingdom than those who knew their Bible. Jesus is not commending the world here for coveting money or the way businesses are run in this world. Instead, He observed that practically those who know how to deal a business also know more principles of the kingdom than those who are in the church. It is for this reason that Jesus said that, “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? (Luke 16:11-12). This can be rephrase in the context of our discussion that if one does not even understand and know how to run a business why even bother him to lead a church, ministry or people?

Are you currently a student or employed in a factory? Do you own a franchise or a store? Do you operate a mall or private school? Or do you serve as a soldier, waiter, janitor, or teacher? Or are you in a high government position? Jesus did not mince his words; He is looking for those who are faithful to Him in their jobs.

These are the ones who have integrity and knew well how to handle their situations; these are fit for promotion in the kingdom of God. These are the people who can be trusted with true riches. He cannot give higher responsibility to those who cannot be trustworthy enough on their present jobs. Promotion is given to those who have graduated from their present situations; God can only give more to those who have been trustworthy stewards of His resources.

This is the reason why God allows us to have jobs to do with our hands instead of simply dreaming of heaven so that we can bridge the gap between heaven and earth. Jesus wants us to be practical and at the same time godly. Therefore some of the greatest businessmen who will come to know God will also be some of the greatest leaders in the church. His original twelve disciples too were previously employed as fishing operators, former government tax collectors, businessmen and traders.

God does not do things arbitrarily. He did not toss a dice to create the universe. And in order  to demonstrate to us that the kingdom is not just a whimsical idea that is only applicable in heaven but also on earth, He finally chose men from outside the church to be His first leaders. For this reason, Jesus’s apostles were all formerly employed and even the two greatest missionary apostles of all time, Barnabas and Paul were tentmakers.

Certainly, the Lord Jesus Himself worked most of the time building houses and furniture to support Himself and provide for His family. At some point when He was commissioned already by the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel, He left His trade and went on to teach all the cities and towns in Israel. Likewise, Paul was like the Lord too most of the time, he preached the Gospel and worked; sometimes he has to work more and then preach during his free time. But when there is abundance and supply from his supporters such as the Philippian church, then he takes these and continues preaching and teaching.

There is a great wisdom that is not taught in seminaries but only in the workplace. The workplace is the real world where our actions are measured against our neighbors while in the seminaries we are surrounded by mostly a believing community. The struggles in both places could be the same but the magnitude of tests could be greater in the workplaces than in the seminaries. For this reason, many of the great end time leaders will be coming from “secular jobs” whose character have been forged by the Lord in the fire of afflictions in their very workplaces. These have been tested and found pure who will not easily bend down to every trickery and doctrines of men. They will follow the Lamb wherever He leads them.

Does this encourage you to work in government and private offices? Seeking God’s kingdom cannot be more practical than this where we learn real submission to authority, cooperation, teamwork, leadership, integrity and care for others. Use your time well and stay in your place of calling and influence. The job that you have now is the seminary where the lord is teaching you how to impact your world. Paul therefore commented that, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (II Corinthians 2:14-15 NASB).

God wants to manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Jesus Christ in every place, in every realm where people are so that they can know Him. You are there for this reason to preach to them and lead them to the cross. This is the way to acquire great treasures where no moth or rust can corrupt because they are stored in heavenly vaults in your storehouse. Therefore brothers, as you are responsible to God, remain in the job where God called you unless you are clearly instructed to do otherwise.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
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.
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.”I  Timothy 6:6-12