Jesus tells us something very important: “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” He is not saying that money is bad. We all need money. We need it to buy food, pay our bills, educate our children, and provide for our families. Money is necessary. But Jesus reminds us that money should serve us, not control us.
The problem begins when money becomes more important than honesty, compassion, our relationships, and even God Himself.
Sometimes, in our desire to earn more, we forget what truly matters. We may become so busy making a living that we forget to make a life. We may become so concerned about increasing our savings that we forget to increase our generosity.
And sometimes, people become so rich in possessions but so poor in love. That is why Jesus tells us to use our earthly wealth to gain eternal treasures.
What does this mean?
It means that the money we have today can become an instrument of God’s love. When we feed a hungry family, help a struggling student, pay our workers fairly, or share our blessings with someone in need, we are using temporary wealth for something of eternal value.
Money kept only for ourselves will eventually be left behind. But money shared in love can leave blessings that last beyond our lifetime.
Jesus also reminds us that whoever is faithful in small things will be faithful in great things. Our honesty is tested not only in big decisions but also in little things—in giving the correct change, paying what we owe, refusing to cheat, and being fair even when nobody is watching.
If we cannot be trusted with small amounts of money, how can we be trusted with greater responsibilities? And this is especially important for those entrusted with public funds or positions of authority. Money meant for the people must never become money for personal gain.
My dear friends, let me share a simple thought.
Imagine two people standing before God at the end of their lives.
One says, “Lord, I accumulated so much wealth. I owned many properties and had millions in the bank.”
The other says, “Lord, I did not have much. But with what I had, I helped feed the hungry, supported my family, and shared with those who were struggling.”
Who do you think understood the purpose of wealth? Of course, God does not judge us simply by how much or how little we possess. He looks at how much love we have shown with what He entrusted to us.
So today, let us ask ourselves:
Am I using my money only to make my life more comfortable, or am I also using it to make someone else’s life a little better?
Remember, brothers and sisters: When we die, we cannot bring our money with us. But the love we have shared through our generosity will never be wasted.
May we never become slaves of money, but faithful servants of God.