Luke 16:11–12: “If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?”

In this passage, Jesus contrasts faithfulness in handling worldly wealth with faithfulness in matters of greater, lasting significance. “Unrighteous mammon” refers to wealth in the present age, not necessarily to money obtained through dishonest means. “True riches” refers to the greater realities entrusted by God, especially the spiritual responsibilities and blessings associated with His kingdom. The passage also emphasizes faithful stewardship of what belongs to another.

Earthly wealth is temporary and must be managed according to God’s standards. True riches, however, cannot be reduced to material possessions. They include the spiritual realities and responsibilities that have lasting value before God.

God may bless His children with material provision, but Scripture does not teach that financial increase is always a sign of divine approval or that God promises every faithful person greater earthly wealth. He does, however, call His people to faithfulness in whatever has been placed in their hands. Your faithfulness with earthly riches reveals something about your readiness to handle greater spiritual responsibilities.

Abraham understood the importance of refusing wealth that could compromise his testimony. When the king of Sodom offered him a portion of the spoils, Abraham refused to take anything that would allow the king to claim the glory for making him rich. He declared that he would not allow the king of Sodom to say, “I have made Abram rich” (Genesis 14:22–23).

What a testimony of integrity! Abraham would not accept the king’s offer in a way that could obscure God’s provision or entangle him with the king of Sodom. His response shows that the source and circumstances of wealth matter, and that God’s honour must not be surrendered for material gain.

Likewise, Jacob’s years of service in Laban’s household illustrate the importance of diligence and accountability while managing another person’s property. Jacob worked diligently and took responsibility for the flocks entrusted to him, although the Genesis account also records conflict and mutual distrust between Jacob and Laban. His conduct reminds us that faithfulness must be evident even when a person is managing another’s possessions.

The question is not merely how much wealth you have acquired, but how you acquired it and how you use it.

Most people are pursuing the riches of this world without considering whether those riches have God’s approval. Men are sometimes so desperate to become wealthy that they no longer care about the means by which they obtain their wealth. They may become too impatient to wait for God’s appointed time and too ambitious to submit their desires to His will.

Consequently, much wealth is accumulated through unrighteousness. Some manipulate their gains, others borrow without intending to repay, and many exploit the trust of those who depend on them. They gather wealth through dishonest means and later use it to establish businesses, acquire properties, and build reputations, forgetting that the foundation of their prosperity may testify against them in the day of judgment.

What is the value of a fortune that has been built upon another person’s tears? What is the glory of a business established through fraud? And what will become of wealth acquired by destroying the lives and livelihoods of innocent people?

Wealth does not become righteous simply because it has become substantial. Neither does dishonesty become acceptable because it eventually produces success.

Some businesses raise money from shareholders with promises of returns, only to defraud their investors or collapse without fulfilling their obligations. Those who entrusted their hard-earned money to such businesses are left to bear the consequences of another person’s greed.

I remember buying shares from a bank. The dividends I received never amounted to the value of the shares I purchased, and for the past five years, I have received no further dividend payments.

Consider the injustice that people experience when they entrust their resources to institutions that fail to honour their obligations. How much more grievous is it when wealth is deliberately acquired through deception and exploitation?

Jesus warned about the difficulty of the rich entering the kingdom of God. The problem is not that every possession is inherently sinful, but that wealth can become a rival master, foster self-reliance, and hinder wholehearted dependence upon God. Scripture also repeatedly condemns the injustice that often accompanies the pursuit and misuse of wealth.

Those who steal from the poor to enrich themselves may escape human judgment for a season, but they cannot escape the judgment of God. The money they have stolen may remain in their accounts, their properties may remain in their possession, and their businesses may continue to flourish before men, but none of these things can silence the testimony of their unrighteousness before God.

You may silence the victims of your wickedness, but you cannot silence the Judge of all the earth.

What, then, is the value of becoming richer in the world while becoming poorer in the sight of God? What is the benefit of accumulating possessions on earth while forfeiting the riches that have eternal value? If your wealth increases while your righteousness diminishes, you have not gained true riches.

Where is the glory in robbing others to enrich yourself? How can you call yourself prosperous when the foundation of your prosperity is another person’s loss? And how can you claim that God has blessed you when your method of acquiring wealth contradicts His commandments?

Do not confuse material accumulation with divine blessing. Not every open door is an opportunity approved by God, and not every increase in wealth is evidence of His favour…to be continued

Prayer: Father, give me the grace to wait on you for the true riches you desire for your children, in Jesus name, amen.