Steve’s mom is making a profound point in this story. She had gone to church for years, known the answers to all the theological questions, served on all the committees and enjoyed all the fellowship. But her life had never been concretely changed, until her faith affected her pocketbook.

What does money have to do with hypocrisy and fear?

This entire dialogue begins with a warning about hypocrisy. Why would Jesus tie a warning about hypocrisy to three parables about giving? The answer is obvious. One sure and easy way to examine the reality of your faith is your giving. Even deeper than that, Jesus shows us that our attitude about money reveals the identity of our God. Who we worship may be more easily determined by our finances than by anything else.

1. Money Matters

Jesus and the Bible takes money very seriously. In our culture money is a very taboo topic, but Jesus never tiptoed around it. As a matter of fact, he talked about it quite often.

2 Examples – John the Baptist was asked, “what should we do”: Luke 3:11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

Nobody asked him about money, but when defining repentance he told them what to do with their money.

That is a common occurrence in Luke. According to some 28% of the book of Luke is taken up with teaching about money. God takes it seriously. Why?

Money reveals your heart.

Luke 12: 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Your heart goes after your money. If you spend a lot of money on a car, then you will want to take good care of it. If you give money to a ministry you will be concerned about that ministry.

More than that, your attitude about money reveals your heart. If you spend on beauty supplies and cosmetic surgery, your concerns are your appearance. If you spend on liquor and restaurants you are concerned with having a good time and pleasing the appetites. If you put all your money into savings, you crave security and power. Just the feeling of having money drives you.