Squander or Scatter

 

And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.”  Luke 15:11-13 (ESV) This boy thought that the father's resources were there for him to live an indulgent lifestyle. He did not realize that his father invested rather than squandered his resources; hence, he had resources. The word squandered, which is used as a description of how the boy spent money, is translated as scattered. It is as if he just took his money and put some here and there and anywhere, and, in the end, saw no return on his spending. Money can be scattered, or it can be invested. It can be used to hide pain by buying temporary pleasures, or it can be used to endure pain and help others in their pain. Money can be loved instead of used, and thereby disappoints its possessor. When I squander or scatter the resources I am entrusted with, I destroy the hope I should have for the future. It is always wise to ask God what He intends for me to do with the resources He has entrusted to me. I am convinced that He did not give them to me to be irresponsible and self-absorbed.