USING OUR POSITIONS IN LIFE TO SAVE OUR SOULS FOR ETERNITY
According to prophet Amos, the unmerited and gratuitous gifts we received from God, like the inherited properties, our offices, business and positions in life are meant for an honest and humble service to God and the people of God. They are not for cheating, dehumanizing the children of God, crushing the needy and reducing the oppressed to nothing (Amos 8;4-7). For instance when we plan on when the new moon or next month, or the Mass will be over for us to go and continue to cheat people in the market, or tamper with the scales for measurements or embezzle the funds meant for public development for our own selfish gains, and acquire the riches of this passing world, we should as well remember that the same God who made Sunday a holy day of obligation is also in charge of other days of the week. Thus, we should not forget that this world is like a stage, we only act for sometime or some years and leave the stage for others to go and render an account of our stewardship to our creator, because God knows all that we do here on earth and is in a position to reward us accordingly whether good or bad.
Our Lord Jesus Christ in his parable presented to us a dishonest and unreliable steward (Luke 16;1-13). His bad attitude must have started gradually before it became his way of life, so we ought to be mindful of living a life without self examination and self introspection. That his master discovered his misconduct and decided to sack him from his job, would have been a painful and humble turning point in his life, for the shame and disgrace he brought to himself and his family, it would have served as a great opportunity for him to see the light of life and change his behaviours, but unfortunately he learnt nothing from it, rather he became more dishonest by shamelessly going about to inflict changes on the receipts of the debtors of his master, using crafty means and intentions at his disposal to maintain the friendship and position of this world. Hence, our Lord Jesus Christ praised his astuteness and used it to challenge and teach Christians and his followers, that if we can do all that is possible to maintain our faith and continue to live a righteous life, it would be better and none of us will lose our position in heaven. He then warned us about worshipping God and money which will always cause clash of interest, because money can buy us food but not appetite, it can buy us medicine and not health, it can buy us pleasure and enjoyment but not peace and happiness.The Bible said, the love of money is the root of all evils, and there are some, who, pursuing it have wandered away from the faith and so given their souls any number of fatal wounds (1Tim.6;10).
St Paul advised us to offer petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving for everyone especially those in authority, and those that control finances in all ramifications, not to forget the source of their creation, and the story of the begining of their lives because God wants everyone to be saved (1Tim.2;1-8). Our Lord Jesus Christ opined that, 'Whoever is not with me is against me and whoever does not gather with me scatters" (Matt.12;30). so let us pray against being neutral in our faith,neither hot nor cold (Rev.3;15-18), and may the almighty God give us the spirit to be committed to our faith, in other to use what we have acquired in this world to bear witness to the truth and inherit the kingdom of God on the last day through Christ our Lord.
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