“If you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?” (Luke 16:11, NLT) 

Here is something to think about. God has entrusted to you a certain amount of wealth to manage for His glory. It encourages me to know that God trusts, encourages, and instructs us on how to steward the wealth God has blessed us with. Further this verse teaches me that if I am trustworthy with worldly wealth God will trust me with wealth that is far more precious than silver and gold.

In the book Trust Edge, the author points to a study that reveals, “Trust, not money, is the currency of business and life.”

God trusts us with earning potential and the ability to produce even more wealth with it. “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” (Deuteronomy 8:18, NIV)  Therefore God blesses diligence. “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” (Proverbs 10:4, NIV) Laziness will rob you blind; diligence will prosper you and bless those you serve.

As a steward of the trust God has given you take time to prayerfully develop a vision for your financial stewardship. Pass this vision along to your children and teach them Biblical principles of money management. The more you read and reflect on God’s Word about money the greater your vision will become. You will discover the possibilities are unlimited. “He [Uzziah]was a loyal seeker of God. He was well trained by his pastor and teacher Zechariah to live in reverent obedience before God, and for as long as Zechariah lived, Uzziah lived a godly life. And God prospered him.” (2 Chronicles 26:5, Message)

Remember God blesses generosity. Tithing is biblical, Jesus said, “You should tithe.” (Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42) Tithing teaches us to fear the Lord (Deuteronomy 14:23) To fear the Lord means we trust Him to take care of us. When we tithe and give offerings out of love and thanksgiving to the Lord, He says He will “pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” (Malachi 3:10) 

A few minutes ago, I visited with a member of our congregation who only has an eight grade education. He shared with me how God has richly blessed his diligence as he served the Lord. That blessing has flowed down to his children and grandchildren. Then he said, “Pastor, tithing was hard for me at first. I couldn’t pay my bills. Then my wife and I prayed at the altar together in church and agreed to tithe first before we paid a bill. Ever since we began tithing, we were always able to pay bills and we were blessed with more that we could ever use. He told me how his children and grandchildren are serving the Lord and tithing. I think you will agree that a loving family serving Christ together is true riches.

My prayer for each of us in 2023 is that God will trust us the true riches of heaven!

Peace!