And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Luke 16:9-13

Jesus always taught against the love of things of this world. He also continually taught to live righteously. Therefore, we must understand that Jesus really doesn’t want us becoming friends of the world and to love making money.

The context of this teaching immediately follows a parable about a wicked person who will do anything to preserve himself and his current state, everything that is except repent! Jesus is teaching us that this kind of behavior is not only wicked, it will not actually bring any security to our lives.

The phrase “everlasting habitations” sounds nice on the surface but it really means just the opposite. A habitation is a cloth tent. To a Jew, a tent reminds them of wandering around in the wilderness for forty years with no hope of getting into the promised land. Therefore, Jesus is teaching us that when we trust the world and try to make friends with it, the world will receive us. But all we will find is…

perpetual insecurity.

So, rather than teaching us to be a friend of the world, Jesus is showing us that the world is not a friend to us. We cannot continue to think that we are serving God while we pursue the riches of the world more than we do God. Jesus even says that we cannot have both. If we are seeking the things of this world we are neglecting our service to God. If we are moving away from God, we are inviting insecurity, anxiety, confusion, and pain into our lives.

I do not know if Jesus is actually using sarcasm in this teaching, but I do know that His point is clear. The world will gladly receive us and cast away just as quickly. Only Jesus has promised to never cast us out.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

John 6:37