From Luke 16: 1 Jesus also said to the disciples, “A certain rich man heard that his household manager was wasting his estate. 2 He called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give me a report of your administration because you can no longer serve as my manager.' 3“The household manager said to himself, What will I do now that my master is firing me as his manager? I'm not strong enough to dig and too proud to beg. 4 I know what I'll do so that, when I am removed from my management position, people will welcome me into their houses. 5 “One by one, the manager sent for each person who owed his master money. He said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?' 6 He said, ‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil.' The manager said to him, ‘Take your contract, sit down quickly, and write four hundred fifty gallons.' 7 Then the manager said to another, ‘How much do you owe?' He said, ‘One thousand bushels of wheat.' He said, ‘Take your contract and write eight hundred.' 8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted cleverly. People who belong to this world are more clever in dealing with their peers than are people who belong to the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves so that when it's gone, you will be welcomed into the eternal homes. 10"Whoever is faithful with little is also faithful with much, and the one who is dishonest with little is also dishonest with much. 11 If you haven't been faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 If you haven't been faithful with someone else's property, who will give you your own? 13 No household servant can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." (Common English Bible)
"I'll buy you a diamond ring, my friend, if it makes you feel alright. I'll get you anything my friend, it it makes you feel alright; 'cause I don't care too much for money, and money can't buy me love." (Lennon-McCartney, Copyright: Sony/ATV Music).
Those in Jesus' audience, including and especially the "righteous/religious" men, cared a lot about money. And Jesus knew this. To tell this parable within their hearing, He was sharing a connecting point with those overhearing the story. The story is, at first reading, a difficult one to understand. A rich man discovered his business manager was embezzling money from him, and fired him. But he first asked that an audit be made of that which had been taken and that which was still owed him. The business manager panics because now he will find himself without an income and find himself homeless. His plan is to make right his relationships with those who might welcome him into their homes. And so, one by one, each debtor comes in to find their debts slashed. Some by 50%, others less, but each felt that they had a friend in this guy who first made the deal with them. This then impresses the rich man and Jesus speaks about putting profit above relationships, especially the one we should have with God. Jesus also speaks to our need to be honest in all of our dealings. Verse ten especially says, "Whoever is faithful with little is also faithful with much, and the one who is dishonest with little is also dishonest with much." We, as God's "household servants" cannot serve two masters, for, as Jesus said, we "will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
Our handling of money is a deeply spiritual matter. Our giving to God is an important part of worship, yet those who tend to favor profit over relationship, scream bloody murder when it comes to giving to God as the Bible instructs. What is our love showing then? Someone has determined that if every church member in every church gave just 3% of their income, the church would have more than enough money to fulfill their obligations and more than they thought possible, yet something holds some back in giving even a percentage of their income and they're content to "tip" God, and tip might be the wrong word because those who truly tip give a percentage of what's owed.
Jesus is calling us to faithfulness and honesty. Where do we stand?
PRAYER: Loving God, all things do indeed come from You, and our prayer is to give gratefully back to You that which you have shared with us. In Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
