The parable about a shrewd manager in Luke 16  is perhaps one of the most difficult to understand among all parables told by Jesus.  There a manager of a rich man was about to be fired.  So he went out on his own and settled his master’s debt at a deep discount without his master’s approval.  His hope was that he would be welcomed by those debtors once he would be fired.  But surprisingly the master did not scold the manager, or fire him right away.  Instead, Jesus said that the rich man praised him:

 

“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16: 8-9)

 

What is perhaps more surprising is that Jesus seemed to be speaking approvingly of the manager.   Was Jesus really encouraging such behavior of the manager?

 

No.  He clearly characterized the manager as ‘dishonest’ in verse 8.  So what is the real point of the story, if not on the ethics of the manager?  Let us read on, and find if there is a word or two that are being emphasized here:

 

‘“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

 

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”’ (Luke 16: 10-13)

 

Here the last word “money” (or its original word “Mammon”) is also translated as “worldly wealth”.  Counting that, the phrase “world wealth” shows up only four times in the New Testament — and three of them here!  So it seems that the central theme of this passage has something to do with this “worldly wealth”.

 

Now, let’s briefly take our eyes off this passage, and take a look at where the fourth “world wealth” appears in the new Testament.  It is in Matthew 6: 19-24:

 

“‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

‘The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

 

‘No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.’”

 

Note that the last verse (Matt 6:24) is exactly the same as Luke 16:13, word for word.  In this context, it is very clear that Jesus was talking about the powerful pull of material things.  He was talking about priorities and values, ie.,  treasures on earth vs. treasures in heaven.

 

It is interesting that in talking about priorities, Jesus used the imagery of eyes and light.  Why did Jesus use the analogy of eyes when he talks about money?  He was reminding us that we will go wherever we set our eyes on.  It is just like a car’s headlights.  Wherever the headlights point to, there the car will go.  If a person fixates his life on money and success, then he will live his life according to that priority – hence the verse “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 

Now, back to Luke 16, it should clear that this passage on the shrewd manager is about life priorities.  There are three things we can perhaps learn from it:

  • The manager knew what was really important to him.  He used what not important to him and turned it into what was important to him.  Many believers, in contrast, do not know what their priorities are in their lives (“For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light”)! This to me is one of the saddest passage in the New Testament.

  • The manager knew his weaknesses (v.3), and went out to get help.  Many people today do not realize their weaknesses. Nor do they seek help.  In particular, they think they do not need help with their wealth.  Very soon, they are not managing their wealth.  They are managed by their wealth.

  • The manager understood his time was short, and he acted swiftly.  We all are on borrowed time.  Let us not waste it on things that do not matter.

Next time, we will be touching on some of the principles in managing wealth

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