City Life Starter

Written by Nate Warren

The Word

He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

Luke 16:1-9

Reflection

The master of the story commends the dishonest steward, and even Jesus gives us a call to imitate him, but only partly. Jesus doesn’t need to explicitly tell us that fraud is sinful and wrong; we are well aware. His point is for us to recognize that those with worldly, temporal motives are strategic in how they utilize resources for temporary futures. We should similarly look ahead to eternity as we allocate the resources available to us. After all, Jesus also said, “Be wise as snakes, but innocent as doves,” (Matthew 10:16b) and “… lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:20)

While this passage is applicable generally to the infinite spiritual resources we have in Christ Jesus, Jesus is specifically teaching about our use of the mammon of unrighteousness, or money and material possessions.

Both corrupt and fleeting, wealth can often be a tool of injustice. However, it can often become an opportunity for generosity, hospitality and mercy. By using wealth or influence in this way, we can “make friends” with God and those He cares about. These friends will then happily welcome us into their eternal tabernacles.

Application

Jesus’ words confront us with two questions: How do I view the money and possessions I hold? And what future am I preparing for with them?

The steward looked ahead and acted decisively, even if wrongly. We often look no further than the next purchase or investment. Yet Christ calls us to act with eternal foresight: to use wealth for mercy, generosity, and service, ultimately for eternal relationships.

Worldly wealth will fail. The stock market will crash; the dollar will lose to inflation. None of us will take it with us, anyway (Moth and rust come in many forms). But sacrificial acts of friendship is investment in a heavenly account that will reap dividends into eternity.

Prayer

Father, may I cultivate eternal friendships with the resources You have entrusted me to steward, according to Your good will. Amen.