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.

We are looking again at the parable of the unrighteous steward, where Jesus is challenging His disciples to be much more shrewd and wise than their worldly counterparts in securing their eternal future. Worldly people are shrewd for earthly security, but we ought to be much more shrewd to gain eternal security. It matters because there is an afterlife. This life is much shorter than our next life. We know this because Jesus proved eternal life is real when He died and rose again. Our eternal future, portrayed as “eternal dwelling,” “true riches,” and “your own,” is real and will not be disappointing. Jesus emphasizes His message using the phrase “I say to you”, a phrase Jesus used to declare truth with full divine revelation and authority, similar to His “I am” statements. When Jesus uses this “I,” He declares Himself as God (Isaiah 46:9). Ultimately, Luke 16:13 mandates that you must serve Jesus, the true master, instead of money. As John Wesley observed, the last part of a person to be converted is his wallet. If you have not surrendered your wallet, you have not fully converted in your surrender to Jesus Christ.

Jesus is addressing the believer. A believer is both a disciple and a steward. Discipleship is following Jesus as Lord, which requires not just believing but obeying, and it changes who you are. Stewardship is managing what belongs to God — your time, money, body, and all the resources He has entrusted to you. While discipleship is internal, stewardship is external. Stewardship is the expression of your discipleship; the two go hand in hand. A mature disciple is a wise steward. The unrighteous steward in the parable was shrewd in securing his earthly future, but Christians must be even more shrewd and wise in eternal matters. This parable does not refer to being saved, as every Christian is saved, but about being a good steward to gain a future reward. If you are not shrewd, you might be saved but still miss out on future rewards.

How do we prepare for our eternal future, especially when dealing with money? Money, or “mammon: in Aramaic, refers to wealth, possessions, or anything we might put our trust in, meaning it easily becomes an idol. Jesus wants disciples to secure their eternal future by using their money wisely and faithfully. We are commanded to “make friends” using the “wealth of unrighteousness. Money is worldly and has caused much wickedness, making it the “wealth of unrighteousness”. This command does not mean buying friendship, but it means to evangelize, advance the kingdom of God, and make friends who will dwell with you in heaven one day. This involves using all our resources, whether it be time or money, helping unbelievers know Jesus and getting close to them. For example, taking an unbeliever out to lunch to build a relationship and share the gospel with them.

Remember, you are a steward, and it is God’s money, not yours. Use your money as a tool, not an end. We must invest in people, avoid unnecessary debt, keep an eternal view, and be charitable and generous. Spending money for the glory of God is not wasteful; it is heavenly investing. This investment is a channel to draw rewards from heaven, ensuring that when you “make your friends for yourselves,” it benefits you eternally. How wise, wonderful, and necessary it is to use what God has given us for His glory and our eternal reward. It is shameful and foolish to invest in earthly things like the world does. We have a greater promise, therefore, even more so, we must be diligent and shrewd stewards of what God has given us. 

Everyone is equal in salvation and will enter heaven, but not all are equal in reward, which is based on faithful stewardship. The Apostle Paul labored to gain a reward, not satisfied with salvation alone. The phrase “When it fails” (Luke 16:9) reminds us that one day, we will die, and all our money, accomplishments, and memories will vanish. Only our eternal investment will remain. The friends we make with our finances—those whom we have evangelized and rescued—are the “they” who will take us into eternal dwellings. Imagine those you helped reach glory before you, waiting to welcome you into heaven. What a joyful thought. If you are worried you have not made any friends yet, start today with just one sinner. Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7). The Lord encourages us to diligently, sacrificially, and faithfully invest in others for Him, and we will be rich in heaven.