Luke 16:8-9
New King James Version (NKJV)
8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail,[a] they may receive you into an everlasting home.
While reading a book today, and being the INFORMATION JUNKIE that I am....I have to tell you I was puzzled by these verses. Now, truly, I've read the Bible more times than I can remember......honestly (and I still have an excellent memory, it's just that I quit counting many years ago!)
So, I read this in the book called "Crime Stories of the Bible"....just a small book to read while awaiting my new book from Amazon....just more information to store in my over-crowded brain.
I came across the verses and thought, "Hmmm, this can't be right. I need to look it up in KJV...and so I did.
Something didn't feel right about the explanation, so I read it in NIV (!!!!!!Yikes!)
Then in the Amplified version (again !!!!!!!!), still not satisfied.
I tried the Living Translation (foreign to me), and several others....still not satisfied, so I did what all "INFORMATION JUNKIES" do......I looked up 'mammon' in the online dictionary.....since I already knew the definition, that was no help either.
I read the King James Commentary that I keep handy. Their explanation sounded 'plausible' but I still wasn't quite satisfied that Jesus would not only 'commend' this steward, but even go on to say what he did: use unrighteous mammon to make friends for yourself...... what!?
Finally, a light bulb went off in my head! (prayer always seems to help the lights come on!)
He was saying that not only are the children of the world more astute than the children of the light in taking care of themselves when calamity comes, but He was more importantly saying, 'reconcile yourselves to the FACT that mammon will Fail and WHEN it does, realize that eternal life will NOT fail you. It's sort of like 'sowing wild oats' if you must make friends with mammon.....know that eternity will welcome you home as the father welcomed the prodigal son. Prepare for the Kingdom! The riches won't get you anywhere as to eternity but the friends can be a huge help during difficult times.
Wealth is not a sin, of course, but to use that wealth to further the Kingdom of God would be wise. Perhaps one day those you helped will be there to lean on when your money is gone!
Abba,
My riches lie in my faith, hope, trust, and obedience to You...silver and gold have I none!
Thank You for the cross and its richest gift of eternal life through Jesus' shed blood!
9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail,[a] they may receive you into an everlasting home.
While reading a book today, and being the INFORMATION JUNKIE that I am....I have to tell you I was puzzled by these verses. Now, truly, I've read the Bible more times than I can remember......honestly (and I still have an excellent memory, it's just that I quit counting many years ago!)
So, I read this in the book called "Crime Stories of the Bible"....just a small book to read while awaiting my new book from Amazon....just more information to store in my over-crowded brain.
I came across the verses and thought, "Hmmm, this can't be right. I need to look it up in KJV...and so I did.
Something didn't feel right about the explanation, so I read it in NIV (!!!!!!Yikes!)
Then in the Amplified version (again !!!!!!!!), still not satisfied.
I tried the Living Translation (foreign to me), and several others....still not satisfied, so I did what all "INFORMATION JUNKIES" do......I looked up 'mammon' in the online dictionary.....since I already knew the definition, that was no help either.
I read the King James Commentary that I keep handy. Their explanation sounded 'plausible' but I still wasn't quite satisfied that Jesus would not only 'commend' this steward, but even go on to say what he did: use unrighteous mammon to make friends for yourself...... what!?
Finally, a light bulb went off in my head! (prayer always seems to help the lights come on!)
He was saying that not only are the children of the world more astute than the children of the light in taking care of themselves when calamity comes, but He was more importantly saying, 'reconcile yourselves to the FACT that mammon will Fail and WHEN it does, realize that eternal life will NOT fail you. It's sort of like 'sowing wild oats' if you must make friends with mammon.....know that eternity will welcome you home as the father welcomed the prodigal son. Prepare for the Kingdom! The riches won't get you anywhere as to eternity but the friends can be a huge help during difficult times.
Wealth is not a sin, of course, but to use that wealth to further the Kingdom of God would be wise. Perhaps one day those you helped will be there to lean on when your money is gone!
Abba,
My riches lie in my faith, hope, trust, and obedience to You...silver and gold have I none!
Thank You for the cross and its richest gift of eternal life through Jesus' shed blood!
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