Shrewdness and the Future

Jesus and the Just Reign of God
Jesus Ushers in the Reign of God
Jesus Teaches Compassion for the Poor

Luke 16:1-9

The Message

The Story of the Crooked Manager

16 ^1-2 Jesus said to his disciples, “There was once a rich man who had a manager. He got reports that the manager had been taking advantage of his position by running up huge personal expenses. So he called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? You’re fired. And I want a complete audit of your books.’

^3-4 “The manager said to himself, ‘What am I going to do? I’ve lost my job as manager. I’m not strong enough for a laboring job, and I’m too proud to beg. . . . Ah, I’ve got a plan. Here’s what I’ll do . . . then when I’m turned out into the street, people will take me into their houses.’
⁵ “Then he went at it. One after another, he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
⁶ “He replied, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’
“The manager said, ‘Here, take your bill, sit down here—quick now—write fifty.’
⁷ “To the next he said, ‘And you, what do you owe?’
“He answered, ‘A hundred sacks of wheat.’
“He said, ‘Take your bill, write in eighty.’
^8-9 “Now here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.”

For Reflection

This has got to be one of the most difficult stories to interpret.  It leaves most readers scratching their heads.  Me too!

Could this be sarcasm?

Those driven by accumulation of things, including wealth, are quite resourceful in satisfying their obsession.  We need to be as resourceful in our righteousness.  Not in wrong doing but in right doing for the expansion of justice in our world.  We need to be as obsessive about righteousness as some are obsessive with self-gratification.

It is not enough to sit back complacently, bathing in God's grace and ignoring what is going on around you.    Our personal good behavior alone is insufficient to manage resources in God's kingdom.  God wants us to live risky lives in God's service. 

Pray

that you will throw off your cloak of invisibility and clothe yourself in bright colors and draw attention to the risky business of God's work for compassion and justice.  Thank God for those who take risks for God's kingdom.