THE PARABLE OF THE DISHONEST STEWARD

Lectionary passage: Luke 16:1-9 (NRSV) - Then Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2 So he summoned him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.' 3 Then the manager said to himself, 'What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.' 5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 He answered, 'A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.' 7 Then he asked another, 'And how much do you owe?' He replied, 'A hundred containers of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill and make it eighty.' 8 And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.



Of all the parables of Christ this one may be the toughest
        for those who think it treats their views of honesty the roughest.
But it’s a comment on the fact that being shrewd and clever
        can win one many friends, for sure. It has been thus forever.
The steward had mismanaged all the holdings of his master.
        He knew when it was found out, he was heading for disaster.
He called his mater’s debtors and made sure they would be willing
        to take him in when he was fired, by lowering their billing.
He told each one to write down less than what each had been owing.
        The master praised his steward for the prudence he was showing!
Then Jesus said, “You, too, make friends, but not by being greedy.
        And as good stewards, use your funds to help the poor and needy.
“By kindness you will make friends now and have their salutation,
        when they receive you into God’s eternal habitation.