Jesus taught, using the parable of the Dishonest Steward (Luke 16:1-13), that we must learn the lessons of the faithless because they are shrewd.
The punchline, however, is about being faithful with dishonest wealth so that God will entrust us with true riches.
The dishonest steward collected debts owed the rich man. He cut the bill to 50% for one and to 80% for another. It did two things. It settled accounts that were unsettled, thereby getting his boss some of what was owed instead of nothing, and it put the steward and the boss in good with those whose debts he discounted. From a worldly viewpoint, it might not have been a great move economically, but it did bring an outcome in some ways favorable for the debtors, boss and steward.
Favorable outcomes are measured according to our values. If profit is ALL we value, then only getting ALL of it would be favorable for the boss, the only one who counts in the scenario. Only the boss wins in that case, as Capitalists would have it.
If the well-being of humanity is valued, then this was a great outcome. Debtors, struggling under Roman occupation to survive, let alone thrive, would benefit greatly from this relief and would more highly value the steward and his boss. The boss, knowing that some is better than none and also knowing the value of human relationships (and not just with money), would see the value in a gesture that could build a relationship which might benefit him in the future and see the value to his soul of forgiving a portion of the debt toward the well being of the debtor. The steward was shrewd, in worldly terms, but perhaps in spiritual values as well.
Not allowing us to get on the praise train too quickly over the steward, Jesus in Luke then talks about being faithful or being dishonest, and de-values dishonest wealth while lifting up true riches.
We cannot serve God and wealth. We cannot value our own profit over the well-being of God's children and be followers of Jesus. God commands Agape Love toward the Shalom of others around us, loving neighbor as self. The rich man in Jesus' (Luke's) parable found some wisdom in valuing forgiveness, and did not only see the value of monetary profit. The debtors certainly experienced gratitude for the forgiven debts. The steward knew the value of relationships, even perhaps facilitating the economic well-being of debtors and future relationships based on (even limited) grace.
"The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." I Timothy 6:10 (philarguria - love of money, is the opposite of philanthropia - love for humanity)
Why? Because we are supposed to actively commit our lives to the well-being of our neighbor, according to Jesus. Love does not belong to money, but rather to God and to God's children - all of them.
So, the punchline is to be faithful over money and everything else, more highly valuing God and neighbor than mere money.
The stark reminder follows, that we cannot give lip service to God while loving money, or try to straddle the Kingdom and the world in our values. We cannot serve both with our hearts or minds or lives. We must choose either Kingdom values or worldly ones. We are called to love ENOUGH FOR ALL over an abundance of personal wealth. We are commanded to give our love to God and Neighbor and NOT to money.
Pastor Jamie
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