Shrewd

Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’  “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ “‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’  “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’  “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.

How many of us have heard this parable taught from the pulpit? Most have not. The reason is because it’s not completely clear what Jesus is trying to say. Is he saying that we should gather money? Should we betray our employers? Jesus later in this same chapter condemns gathering money for ourselves, and says use it rather to gain favor in the world…because you cannot serve money and God. So, what is the lesson? The dishonest manager got commended for acting shrewdly.

The key to the parable is when Jesus says “FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD.” Jesus is talking about the dealings. Calling him dishonest may be cutting him short. The dishonest/shrewd part of him was in that he knew how people were in this world. If he would cut them a break now, they would be favorable to him in the future. He was willing to be shrewd with he had right now, because he knew there was a future judgment coming against him. Jesus was relating to the dishonest manager planning for the future.

Jesus was condemning people of light, or righteous people when they live their lives for today. If you do not plan for the future, making your every plan in relation to how Jesus sees it, then you’re not dealing wisely. The Bible says all things will be exposed. Our most subtle things will be shouted from the rooftops. If we were as shrewd as the manager, then our every decision would be to make sure we’re planning for eternity. It becomes very easy for us to live in this life. We focus on what we can see, feel, and touch. Jesus is saying, plan for what you know is coming, not for today.

Be shrewd with your time, effort, money, and self. By shrewd,, I mean spend it on eternal things, not on temporal things things. This life is a false front for the one we will see eventually.

Look to eternity….look to forever, and plan accordingly.