Many people are not broke because they lack income.
They’re broke because they’re trying to maintain an image their life hasn’t grown into yet.
We live in a culture that rewards appearance over alignment.
Status over stewardship.
Lifestyle over legacy.
Jesus spoke directly to this when He said:
“If you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? And if you have not been faithful in unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?”
This is not about money alone.
This is about trust. "Favor with a person"
What Are “True Riches”?
True riches are not things you can buy.
True riches are:
• Wisdom
• Authority
• Peace
• Discernment
• Influence
• Stability
• Spiritual clarity
• The ability to govern life without chaos
Money is a tool.
True riches are a condition of the soul.
Jesus wasn’t saying money is evil.
He was saying money reveals readiness.
Unrighteous Mammon vs. True Riches
“Unrighteous mammon” represents systems driven by:
• Comparison
• Ego
• Fear
• Image
• Pressure to impress
• Borrowed identity
If someone cannot steward money without:
• Anxiety
• Compulsion
• Debt-driven decisions
• Image management
• Overextension
Then the issue isn’t finances it’s formation.
Why would God entrust authority, influence, or spiritual weight to someone who collapses under a car note, a credit card, or public opinion?
Living Beyond Your Means Is a Spiritual Signal
Living a lifestyle you cannot afford is not just a financial issue.
It is often a trust issue.
It says:
• “I need validation now.”
• “I don’t trust process.”
• “I want the reward without the development.”
• “I want the appearance of arrival without obedience.”
Jesus is clear:
If you can’t be faithful with what is temporary, you are not ready for what is eternal.
Why Jesus Tied Money to Readiness
Because money exposes:
• Who we listen to
• What we fear
• What we value
• Where we find security
Money doesn’t corrupt character.
It reveals it.
That’s why Jesus said you cannot serve both God and mammon.
Not because mammon is powerful but because it competes for trust.
The Call to Maturity
True riches require:
• Patience
• Discipline
• Hidden seasons
• Saying no when you could say yes
• Living beneath your means even when you could stretch
God is not impressed by what you can afford to buy.
He is interested in what you can be trusted to steward.
Closing Thought
You don’t need a richer lifestyle.
You need a richer inner life.
When the soul is aligned, provision follows.
When stewardship is proven, increase is inevitable.
When trust is established, true riches are released.