Luke 16: 1-13 is the intriguing and puzzling parable of the dishonest manager, which is found in a chapter devoted to Jesus’ teachings on possessions. It is among one of the most difficult to interpret of all the stories told by Jesus. Many people cannot understand why the hero of the story turns out to be a scoundrel, and how can cheating be a model for us to follow? It is like holding up O.J. Simpson as an example to emulate for getting away with murder.
However, the main point conveyed is that this man was shrewd enough to use the means at his disposal to plan for his future well-being. He was commended by the master for being shrewd or prudent in other translations. It has to do with wise and thoughtful planning to guarantee his own future. The word shrewd means sharp-witted or clever in practical matters, being crafty or astute. Whether he was honest or dishonest is not the primary concern in the application of this parable to our lives and situations. Consequently, this parable, like all other parables, always has one main point, and it has to do with the right use of our resources. Jesus told this story to pose the question, “Are you handling possessions so as to gain and not lose your eternal habitation?” We are asked to reflect on our prudent use of material wealth and resources. It is a question of stewardship! It has to do with investments of another kind, that is, investments in the Kingdom of God.
We all think about investment of one kind or another, whether it is simply putting money in the bank, or buying bonds or stocks, GICs, mutual funds or RRSPs, or getting involved in real estate, or jewelry and art collections, we do so in manners of long-term thinking and planning for the future. We invest in what we believe to be good and sound, hoping its value will increase over time and yield us something in return. With every investment, there is always risk involved; so for the sake of the profit or dividend, we need to determine whether it is really worth the risk.
Today, we are asked to plan for our own future! Not just freedom 55, but the eternal future! We are not asking you to buy eternal life insurance, like buying a stairway to heaven. We are not teaching a course on “How to win friends and influence people, while building up the kingdom of God”. It sounds so self-serving, doing something for the sake of earning a reward in return! We may lose sight of the meaning and purpose of our actions, if everything were done scheming for rewards in heaven. We don’t need to be reminded that God knows our hearts and minds. Our thoughts cannot escape God’s scrutiny; it would be useless to try to hide our intentions from God.
Today, we are asked to plan for our own future! Not just freedom 55, but the eternal future! We are not asking you to buy eternal life insurance, like buying a stairway to heaven. We are not teaching a course on “How to win friends and influence people, while building up the kingdom of God”. It sounds so self-serving, doing something for the sake of earning a reward in return! We may lose sight of the meaning and purpose of our actions, if everything were done scheming for rewards in heaven. We don’t need to be reminded that God knows our hearts and minds. Our thoughts cannot escape God’s scrutiny; it would be useless to try to hide our intentions from God.
However, we are asked to say yes to God and to say yes to God’s future now! Saying yes means accepting God’s gift of grace and salvation! Accepting what God has given us requires us to make the best use of them. Saying yes is also a continuous process and a life-long commitment to God through life’s ups and downs.
Investment means what you do now is important, for it will affect the outcome in the future -- in what you will get in return. We cannot abdicate our present responsibility and still hope that something positive will somehow happen for us later. If we want this church to grow again, we have to invest in children and youth ministry, and in inviting and welcoming new people. Otherwise, after we are gone, no one will come after us.
Ultimately, everything we have is God’s gift to us; we are only in charge of them and make use of them on God’s behalf. That is why it is called stewardship, just as the servant in the parable is called a steward for his master. Our time, energy, talent, resources, money and possessions, even our children and grandchildren, in fact, our very life, are all God-given assets for our use. We manage and look after them in trust! If I did not have a master for whom I am accountable, I could treat everything I possess as mine, and mine alone. I would not have to be accountable to anyone else for my actions and how I live my life and make use of what belongs to me. However, as stewards or managers of God’s gifts, we live from a very different perspective. We realize ultimately that we are not the owners of what seems to belong to us. How we live our lives, how we spend our time and money, are all investments for the future, God’s future! There is a saying: “WHAT WE ARE IS GOD’S GIFT TO US. WHAT WE BECOME IS OUR GIFT TO GOD.” That is truly a powerful summary of the teaching of Christian stewardship.
Investment means what you do now is important, for it will affect the outcome in the future -- in what you will get in return. We cannot abdicate our present responsibility and still hope that something positive will somehow happen for us later. If we want this church to grow again, we have to invest in children and youth ministry, and in inviting and welcoming new people. Otherwise, after we are gone, no one will come after us.
Ultimately, everything we have is God’s gift to us; we are only in charge of them and make use of them on God’s behalf. That is why it is called stewardship, just as the servant in the parable is called a steward for his master. Our time, energy, talent, resources, money and possessions, even our children and grandchildren, in fact, our very life, are all God-given assets for our use. We manage and look after them in trust! If I did not have a master for whom I am accountable, I could treat everything I possess as mine, and mine alone. I would not have to be accountable to anyone else for my actions and how I live my life and make use of what belongs to me. However, as stewards or managers of God’s gifts, we live from a very different perspective. We realize ultimately that we are not the owners of what seems to belong to us. How we live our lives, how we spend our time and money, are all investments for the future, God’s future! There is a saying: “WHAT WE ARE IS GOD’S GIFT TO US. WHAT WE BECOME IS OUR GIFT TO GOD.” That is truly a powerful summary of the teaching of Christian stewardship.
Our offering and our gifts to God and God’s works is always our way of thanking God for having blessed us with what we already have. Let me give you another one-liner: “Give God what is right, not what is left!” As a little child in church, I once questioned why people put in what seemed to be spare change into the offering bags? I cannot remember what kind of answers did I get, but it was something along the line of being told to "mind my own business"…
What Jesus teaches is responsible and careful use of our wealth and possession, most of all, not to be possessed by our own possessions. Stewardship is about faithfulness and being trustworthy in what is entrusted to us by our master. And faithfulness is determined not by the amount given, but by the character of the person who uses it. To be faithful means being responsible and accountable in all circumstances! No matter how much capital we are entrusted to begin with, what matters is how we make use of it, whether wisely or not!
As Kingdom People, we need to be wise and diligent in managing God’s affairs, setting priorities, making choices and investing ourselves judiciously, trusting in God’s grace to help us live our lives according to God’s will. If we put our trust in God by faith, our eternal well being is already assured. How we live the rest of our lives, fulfilling the unique calling and purpose for which we are called to live, will be our gifts to God in return.
As Kingdom People, we need to be wise and diligent in managing God’s affairs, setting priorities, making choices and investing ourselves judiciously, trusting in God’s grace to help us live our lives according to God’s will. If we put our trust in God by faith, our eternal well being is already assured. How we live the rest of our lives, fulfilling the unique calling and purpose for which we are called to live, will be our gifts to God in return.
Fr. Victor +
Church of St John the Divine, Scarborough ON http://www.stjd.ca/
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