“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?”
Luke 16:10-12 NLT
Accusations have been levelled at Nepali pastors saying they take what was meant for the poor to squander on themselves with fancy homes, cars etc. as in the west, not all pastors are greedy for gain, it is that the few tar the whole with them corrupt image.
The congregations also are withholding the tithe in the west, claiming greater need for self. We all are responsible for the wealth God gives us. We are His stewards. I remember watching. T D Jake’s oodcast once where he addressed this issue. He said many are in debt to credit cards because people buy the trendiest shoes and clothes, not realising their problem.
What causes us to be unfaithful in finances? A lust for more than we have. James addresses this:
“You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”
James 4:2-3 NLT
Why do we want more? Our eyes are in the wrong place. Perhaps we are ‘window shopping online’ causing lusts and greed to arise, perhaps our neighbour has what we want and we are envious?
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