The Parable of the Shrewd Manager came up twice this week – in our pastor’s sermon and in a completely unrelated video. Although people often quote the last few verses, it’s unusual to hear the entire parable discussed. When it surfaced a second time in one week, I took notice. I share it with you today (February 11, 2023).
Luke 16:1-13
Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’
The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg. I know what I will do, so that after my removal from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’
And he called in each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first.
‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he answered.
‘Take your bill,’ said the manager. ‘Sit down quickly, and write fifty.’
Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’
‘A hundred measures of wheat,’ he replied.
‘Take your bill and write eighty,’ he told him.
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches? And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own?
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Berean Standard Bible
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