Articles
The Esteem of Men
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Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (Lk. 16:14-15)
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In the preceding verses, Jesus delivered the parable of the dishonest steward, a shrewd man who used his master's wealth to pad his nest before getting sacked. The purpose of the parable was not to promote dishonesty but to counsel preparedness. We should use our wealth in this life to get ready for the life to come. It's a strategy that requires an unorthodox approach to managing our wealth--at least as the world defines wealth management.
The Pharisees were too blinded by their affluence to appreciate what Jesus was saying. They were "lovers of money," men whose primary motivation was "justifying themselves before men." To them, life was an exercise in achieving status. Their goals in life involved prestige, honor, social esteem, power--and wealth was a reliable index of those achievements. Their outlook was deeply rooted in their theology: a prosperous life is the sign of God's blessing on a good man.
Jesus' critique of these men was harsh, but on target. God is not impressed by our net worth or our ranking in earthly social circles. If anything, the process usually works in reverse of human standards: the greater our status among men, the less God thinks of us.
This principle is not limited to the rich and powerful. The esteem of men is what drives so much of our middle-class behavior also. At virtually every socio-economic level, Americans devote most of their energy to the accumulation of wealth--more luxurious homes, nicer cars, exotic vacations, fatter investments. It's all about pursuing what the world calls "the good life." And like the Pharisees, we defend it as the fruit of our hard work.
We are as blind as the Pharisees. God does not bless us materially in order for us to secure a good standing in our community. Like the shrewd steward, we should view our wealth as a tool by which we can prepare for the life to come. That involves being generous with our money, time, and resources in a manner that involves no ROI [return on investment] (1 Tim. 6:17-19; Eph. 4:28; Jas. 2:15-16; Matt. 25:37-40; etc.).
To the people of this world, this use of our wealth looks wasteful and foolish. But it's not the people of the world with whom we're trying to secure favor. God knows our hearts, and it is Him to whom our resources should be devoted.
--David
