In today’s reading, Jesus discusses faithfulness and stewardship. He teaches about a rich man who had a manager. This manager wasted his employer’s resources. The rich man calls him in, demands an accounting, and then tells him he will be fired when all the accounts are settled. During this accounting time, the manager goes to those who owe his master money and discounts their bills if they pay on the spot. This is shrewd because it puts him in favor of those who owe his master money. When this manager is eventually fired, many will be his sympathizers.
Jesus then turns the spotlight on His disciples. “The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. (Luke 16:8, NLT) While Jesus disapproves of the dishonesty in the manager’s shrewdness, He illustrates that Christians are managers with earthly and heavenly riches and ought to be shrewd and faithful in managing these things.
As Jesus continues teaching, he explains that shrewd management of earthly and heavenly riches for the kingdom of God starts with small things. “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” (Luke 16:10, NLT) Jesus also implies that if one is not a good manager of money, then they are not a good manager of God’s blessings (Luke 16:11). As Christians, the point is this: we are stewards of God in all things because all things come from Him. May we be wiser in managing God’s kingdom than the world is shrewd with its money.
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Luke 16-17:10.