April 28

Jesus told a parable about a shrewd, but dishonest manager who had been hired to take care of a rich man’s business affairs. The dishonest manager used business practices that were not right and did not match how the rich man would normally do things. Consequently, the rich man called the manager in and told him to pack his things because he was being fired. Before he left his job, the manager called in several of his master’s debtors and reduced the amount owed to the master. One man owed 800 gallons of olive oil to the master and the manager wrote him a new bill for 400 gallons instead. Another man owed 1,000 bushels of wheat and the manager wrote him a new bill for 800 bushels instead. Jesus’ commentary on the parable is found in Luke 16:8&9. “The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the citizens of this world are more shrewd than the godly are. I tell you, use the worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven.”
An Old Testament example of the shrewd manager is Absalom. Apparently, King David would serve as the judge of Israel, in much the same way Moses had. But, also like Moses, David found himself falling behind in the cases he was able to listen to. Absalom planted him-self in strategic places where he could listen to people’s cases and then express his regrets that David did not have time to listen, as well as his wish that he was a judge so he could listen to those legal cases. “Then people could bring their problems to me, and I would give them justice!” (II Samuel 15:4). And when people tried to bow before Absalom and thank him for even listening, he refused to let them worship him and instead embraced them with a loving hug. And the Bible says, “in this way, Absalom stole the hearts of all the people of Israel” (vs.6). Absalom wasn’t really interested in the affairs of the people so much as he was in becoming king. He simply took advantage of the situation so as to put himself in a position to steal the throne from his father. Absalom eventually did, for a time.
Jesus is not commending dishonesty in the parable he told. What he is advocating is that God’s people use the opportunities, the talents, and the abilities He has given them to promote His kingdom and benefit those in need as shrewdly (but honestly) as people of the world use their opportunities, talents, and abilities for personal gain. The first question we all need to ask ourselves is, “Are we using the gifts God has given us?” And the second question we need to answer is, “Are we using them for our own gain or for His glory?”