Luke 16 ~ the Manager told him

Luke 16 (New International Version)

 

 - audio link

1 Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 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.' 3 "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— 4 I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'

5 "So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

6 " 'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied.

"The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.'

7 "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.'

8 "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. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

10 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?

13 "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."

14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.

16 "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. 18 "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

25 "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

27 "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

30 " 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

We live in a world were we prize the fact we move much faster than - say - the 15th century. Very few of the things man builds today will exist 500 years from now. We have beautiful buildings and cathedrals from the 15th century. If technology keeps changing so fast, who will remember the people who invented the amazing things of today? (I don't even remember who invented television, do you?)

And the Roman Empire managing the world 2 millenniums ago - they would not have found a manager constricting profits as even remotely reasonable. It is an unusual parable. It goes along with the old joke of the wife saving her husband money at the mall sales.

A manager who has return on investments of 50 to 75%, less than contracted, is called shrewd? Only in a famine.

Doing what it takes in a pinch to get the job done? My first house, an 1950s cottage, had a furnace, water heater, a garbage disposal, sinks, toilets, tubs and tile from the 1950s. Not to mention hard wood floors that would cost more than a new luxury car to replace. Almost all in good, working condition 50 years later.

Obsolescent Engineering. Today. We have found a way for the shrewd manager parable to be understood.

If we receive a lifetime of good things - what will we have done?

Solomon asked this himself.

Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona, Spain - built from 1882, will be finished 2026

Proverbs 3:

21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,

do not let them out of your sight; 22 they will be life for you,

an ornament to grace your neck.

23 Then you will go on your way in safety,

and your foot will not stumble;

24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid;

when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

25 Have no fear of sudden disaster

or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

26 for the LORD will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being snared.

27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,

when it is in your power to act.

28 Do not say to your neighbor,

"Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"—

when you now have it with you.

29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,

who lives trustfully near you.

30 Do not accuse a man for no reason—

when he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy a violent man

or choose any of his ways,

32 for the LORD detests a perverse man

but takes the upright into his confidence.

33 The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the home of the righteous.

34 He mocks proud mockers

but gives grace to the humble.

Matthew 7:24-27

24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

Father God, each day let us build our lives to be pleasing to You. Help us to make our words matter, the work we do matter. When we are discouraged, please be the rock we stand upon. In good times let us glorify you, in difficulties, let us look to You to lift us. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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