Faithful Stewardship – Luke 16:10-12

Heaven is the place where believers will ultimately enter and be rewarded for their stewardship (2 Tim. 4:7–8). One of the most frequently overlooked commands is the call to be a faithful steward. Although salvation is guaranteed for the believer, heavenly reward can be minimal—or even lost. Our desire as Christians should be to enter heaven and receive the full reward of faithfulness. For that reason, Jesus emphasizes the essential quality of a faithful steward: character.

Character matters—especially regarding how we handle financial and spiritual responsibilities. Biblical character is Christlike character: living out God’s truth from the inside out. It is a life oriented toward God and righteousness. Jesus teaches that the character of stewardship is tested by God, particularly in relation to heavenly rewards.

In Luke 16:10, Jesus underscores faithfulness as a defining biblical characteristic. To be faithful is to be trustworthy. He states that “whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much.” This principle is widely understood as a universal maxim. But why does faithfulness in small matters matter so greatly? Because consistent faithfulness in the small things reveals a heart that can be trusted with greater responsibility.

In this context, the “very little” refers specifically to money. God uses our stewardship of money as a litmus test of our loyalty to Him. How, then, can we demonstrate faithfulness with our finances?

• By being thoughtful and intentional
• By maintaining a God-centered, not self-centered, mindset
• By being eternally minded rather than earthly focused
• By setting our thoughts on heavenly reward

Money may seem like a small matter in comparison with eternal spiritual truths, yet Jesus calls it “little” precisely to show that if we cannot be faithful with something so temporary, we cannot be trusted with “much,” meaning greater spiritual responsibilities. Joseph’s life illustrates this principle: after proving faithful in ordinary, humble tasks, God elevated him to a position of authority second only to Pharaoh.

The life of William Colgate—founder of the Colgate company—offers a modern example. Colgate, a Baptist and church deacon, gave faithfully when he earned little, and as his income grew, he continued to increase his giving. He did not view a percentage of his income as God’s portion and the remainder as his own. Rather, he recognized that everything he possessed belonged to God. His financial success did not change his faithfulness because he had been faithful with little.

In contrast, Jesus warns that “the one who is unrighteous in a very little is also unrighteous in much.” If believers cannot be trusted to use earthly, unrighteous wealth for God’s purposes, why would God entrust them with true riches (v. 11)? Money is considered “unrighteous” because it belongs to a fallen world and is often used for selfish gain. The world’s system is driven by greed, injustice, and the love of money, which fuels sin and destruction. Christians, too, can fall into unfaithfulness—as seen in the life of Lot (2 Pet. 2:8)—but such unfaithfulness must not remain. A believer may misuse money for a season, but faithful stewardship should be the direction of spiritual growth.

What, then, are the “true riches” Jesus refers to? These are eternal blessings—spiritual wealth and heavenly reward. John Gill describes them as works that “will follow [believers], and will be found to praise, and honor, and glory, and will be graciously rewarded by Christ at His appearing and kingdom.”

In verse 12, Jesus teaches that what we have—ultimately God’s possession—is entrusted to us to manage faithfully. This verse also implies that while our salvation is secure, our eternal rewards are not. Scripture warns believers not to lose what they have worked for:

• “Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward” (2 John 1:8).
• “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to his work” (Rev. 22:12).

What keeps Christians from caring about heavenly reward?

• Ignoring or denying God’s ownership of all things
• Unfaithfulness with resources
• Love for the world
• Misunderstanding stewardship as merely financial, rather than spiritual
• Failing to see earthly money as a test of eternal faithfulness

Salvation is not the end of the Christian journey. Stewardship is a means of sanctification—evidence of a life being transformed into Christlikeness.

John MacArthur questioned it pointedly:

“Do you think God is going to reward you in eternity if you have frittered and wasted your opportunity, your stewardship? You can buy yourself endless junk and trinkets and creature comforts and earthly possessions… and when you come into the presence of the Lord do you expect Him to give you the true riches… that eternal reward that comes to those that are faithful?”

Jesus taught:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:19–20).

The world seeks honor and applause for accomplishments, sacrifice, and success. But God calls His people to something different—to honor Him through faithful stewardship of His resources. A Christian of true character surrenders not only their heart but also their wallet to Christ. Giving may feel like loss, yet in the eyes of Christ, it is gain. Scripture tells us that giving is better than receiving because it aligns us with God’s heart of generosity and yields eternal reward.

May we, then, serve the Lord with faithfulness and live as wise stewards of all He has entrusted to us.