As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.
He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4 (NIV)
Even the poor widow Jesus commended for putting her last two pennies into the Temple offering box (Luke 21:1-4), had to manage her possessions and money. According to Jesus, her offering outweighed the sum of all other contributions that day.
This unnamed widow had already settled the first question when it comes to managing our possessions, wealth, and money. Who do I manage for? She realized that all she had and owned was entrusted to her by God and that the first order of business, of stewardship, of managing, was to honor, glorify, worship, and serve Him with it. And boy did she, radically so – Jesus noticed and applauded her.
If we are going to manage our possessions, wealth, and money there is another question to consider. What are you managing for/towards?
· Faith
Command/teach those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17 NIV, italics mine). The widow managed her last two pennies to be an expression of faith. Some would have called it foolishness, like when some criticized the woman who poured ridiculously expensive perfume over Jesus (Mark 14:3-9). No such judgment from Jesus, however, just praise. So, are you managing your possessions, wealth, and money in such a way that they are an expression of God-honoring, Jesus-pleasing faith?
· Testimony
Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph… (Luke 23:50 NLT2). There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor (Acts 9:36 NLT2). Are you managing towards having a good testimony? Are you wasting, hoarding? Is your family taken care of? Are you honest or dishonest as an employer or employee? Do you work hard or are you lazy? Are you living above your means? Do you take care of what you have? Do others consider you wise or foolish in the way you manage? Are you mooching and manipulating? Are you continually borrowing? Are you paying back your debts? Are you known for generosity?
· Accountability
Each one of us will give an account of himself to God (Romans 14:12 NASB). Are you managing your possessions, wealth, and money towards answering to God for what you did with them? Does He figure into your management equation? Will God commend or condemn the way you managed it all throughout your life? Are you considering the eternal implications? Are you, like the widow, managing toward being heaven rich, or are you merely focused on being rich here on earth?
· Generosity
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV). Are you managing towards generosity? Is being able to be generous more important to you than acquiring? Is it important to you to be the kind of cheerful giver God loves? Is it a joy to you to see your stuff, home, money, business, used to help and bless others? Do you love supporting and underwriting the work of the Gospel and Christ’s kingdom with your possessions, wealth, and money?
· Inheritance
A good wo/man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, … (Proverbs 13:22 NIV, italics mine). What will you leave behind? Will it help and serve the next generations? Are you managing in light of blessing your grandchildren? Are you fixated on the here and now, on how you can bless yourself? Are you willing to live with less so the generations after you can have more?
To God be all glory. Manage away. Pastor Hans
The German Shepherd 
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