Our Future Wisdom

In Luke 16:8, Jesus says something that catches many of us off guard: “The manager had not been honest. But the master praised him for being clever. The people of this world are clever in dealing with those who are like themselves. They are more clever than God’s people."

At first glance, it’s unsettling. Jesus, commending a dishonest man? But He wasn’t praising his dishonesty, He was praising his wisdom. His ability to look ahead, assess risk and act decisively in order to prepare for the future...

Then in verse 9, Jesus adds, “Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

What is He saying here?

He’s not telling us to compromise righteousness or to fall in love with material things. But He is calling attention to something Christians too often ignore: wisdom matters. Intelligence matters. Sadly, many Christians have come to equate holiness with helplessness. We’ve built a culture that sometimes frowns upon ambition, shies away from discussions about wealth and devalues anything labelled “worldly.” As a result, we’re producing generations of believers who love God, but are unprepared for this world. It’s time to change that.

When Jesus said the people of the world are wiser in their dealings than the children of light, He wasn’t saying it should be that way, He was lamenting that it is. In many spaces - business, science, media, politics, finance - Christians are underrepresented not because of lack of calling, but because of lack of preparation. The world is filled with systems, structures and economies. We were never told to avoid them, we were told to take dominion - “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion…”- Genesis 1:28. Dominion means leadership, governance, excellence, influence. It means engaging with the world, not ignoring it. A Christ-centred education should not produce naive, outdated thinkers who are out of touch with the world around them. It should produce sharp, thoughtful, grounded individuals who can navigate the systems of this world without being overcome by them. We’re called to be salt and light - not hidden away, but present, influential and effective.

The dishonest steward in Luke 16 understood how the world worked. He knew the weight of wealth, the influence of relationships and the urgency of foresight. Jesus didn’t approve of his methods BUT He did admire the strategy. Why? Because wisdom is of God: Solomon prayed for wisdom and God called it good; Proverbs speak over and over about wisdom being more precious than gold; and Jesus Himself said we are to be “wise as serpents”. There is no glory in ignorance. And there is no virtue in a generation of Christians being consistently out-thought, out-built and out-planned by people who don’t even know the God we serve. God has given us access to both revelation and reason. The spiritual and the practical. Eternity and today. The modern Christian school must be a place where that balance is embraced and promoted.

Christians often hesitate to talk about money, because Scripture warns us that “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10). But let’s be clear, it says the love of money, not money itself. We can’t disciple generations into financial illiteracy and then wonder why churches struggle to fund their mission or why Christians lack influence in spaces where wealth governs decisions. Jesus told us to use worldly wealth wisely - to build relationships, open doors and steward resources in a way that has eternal impact. That’s not greed, that’s stewardship. Christian education should raise students who can manage money with integrity, invest with wisdom, create value and build systems that serve others and glorify God. Not every Christian will become a pastor or a missionary, but every Christian is called to be a witness wherever they are. Some in the boardroom. Some in medicine. Some in media, education, engineering or law. Let’s stop preparing children to withdraw from the world and start preparing them to lead in it. This is what I believe Christian education should be. It should raise children who are intelligent and Godly. Children who know the Word of God, but also know how to code, analyse, negotiate, build, innovate, lead and serve. Children who are kind and courageous, honest and excellent. Students who understand that success isn’t about fame or fortune, but about faithfulness, impact and eternal reward. And who also understand that strategy, ambition and mastery of the world’s systems are not to be feared, but stewarded.

That’s the balance I want to strike. A place where the Spirit of God is welcome and so is excellence, intelligence, preparation and purpose. We are not called to raise spiritual children who are clueless about the world they live in. We are called to raise sons and daughters who walk in dominion, who carry both wisdom and wonder, who use the world’s tools for Heaven’s purposes. Let’s stop settling for a version of Christian education that makes students feel like choosing God means giving up everything else. Let’s raise a generation that knows how to pray with power, speak with clarity, build with excellence and lead with integrity. Let’s raise students who are ready for the workplace and the prayer closet. For this life and the life to come.