June 21, 2026 · David Farmer
Investments
“He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty. Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, 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, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.””
Luke 16:1-13 →
## Now and Forever
We know this story well. It’s one that sticks out to us because it’s hard to believe that Jesus commends dishonesty in a way. He makes a distinction about how two groups utilize a resource that both have. It’s a point well taken if examined closely.
We won’t turn this into a study of light and time, but most of us realize scientifically, these are inseparable concepts. The words Jesus uses for “sons of this world” can also be translated as the “sons of this age”; the sons of now. The other group is the “sons of light”. These are believers, and they will be the “sons of forever”. In the parable, He gives praise to the dishonest manager due to his “shrewdness”. The word for shrewdness can be defined as “being mindful of one’s interest”.
## Unrighteous Wealth
Unrighteous wealth is not “evil money”. It’s just the common mammon, money, or possessions of the material world. Here’s where the rubber meets the road. The sons of now use the “unrighteous wealth” at their disposal to achieve a greater status in some way now. They use them in an intelligent way, mindful of their own interest. They’re easily looking ahead to the end of the day, doing now what it takes to ensure they’ll be taken care of by then. And Jesus suggests for the “sons of forever”... Luke 16:8-9 “...sons of light...make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” He’s saying, “Sons of light, use the unrighteous wealth at your disposal to achieve a greater status in some way in the forever.” He also comments here about when mammon fails; when this world’s monetary system ends and becomes useless. It reminds me of the second angel of Revelation 14 flying over saying, “Fallen is Babylon.” It will not last. All the stuff we have; it will not last.
## Self-Check
Are you shrewd? I mean are you mindful of your own interest? You definitely are. The question to ask is, “Are you a child of now or of forever?” Don’t answer that. Your money habits already tell the truth. It is about investments. You can serve God with money. You just can’t serve God and money.
## What Is The Purpose?