One of my all-time favorite musicals, Hello Dolly!, has one of my all-time favorite lines in it:
"Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around, encouraging young things to grow."
And herein lies the theology behind that quote:
Luke 16:9-10 Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much...
1 Timothy 6:17-19 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
What is that Luke passage supposed to mean? Who is the "they" that will receive you into eternal dwellings when "it" (meaning the money?) fails?
ReplyDeleteI had to look up the verse for myself 'cause I thought maybe it was a typo!
My thoughts are this: Verse 4 in the same chapter also says "they" referring to the ones he will gain favor from for loosening the debt. These will be the friends referred to in verse 9, which correlates to that "they". But why would the friends be doing the receiving? The Scriptural citations in the Luke passage in my Bible refer me to three other passages about the poor. I infer from this that those doing the receiving are saints won over to Christ by generous giving and acts of mercy. They are in attendance (as the saints on high), bearing testimony of mercy.
ReplyDeleteSo the "friends" you would be making for yourself are perhaps, more accurately, souls you are winning for Christ by your generosity with money/worldly wealth? And they, in turn, will be counted with the saints on high when we pass from this world? Strange. This ranks up there with the passage where Jesus tells the disciples to take their swords with them when they go on the road. (Luke 22:36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.) Also strange.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's my take on it, anyway. Any other insight would be welcome.
ReplyDelete