Luke 16:1-13
I don’t know what Jesus is thinking as friends made by dishonest wealth are more than likely “friends in low places” (Garth Brooks) and one wonders what sort of eternal home they own. But that’s the problem with this parable. It doesn’t fit any of the familiar parable patterns where the characters are clearly defined and the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. In this case compound cheating with interest is commended and the children of light are encouraged to imitate the children of this age. But maybe we are not to put much stock in the master’s admiration of the dishonest steward, after all he is still without employment and there is no guarantee that the friends gained by dishonesty will prove trustworthy. What if we are not meant to put this story into a neat parable package that can be filed away and forgotten? Maybe the point of the parable is in the unsettling nature of it and the lesson to be learned is that it reveals the truth about our attempt to serve two masters by neither hating wealth nor fully loving God.
you must be the 15th commentator i've seen who started out with "I don't know..." as an explanation to this parable. just might be the direction i take... "i don't know who can serve God and money...i don't know how you can expect to do a better job with more if you can't do a great job with less....i don't know how you can expect to get out from under your own sin without turning to God...i don't know"
ReplyDeletethanks for the blogging!
Amen. You can't be trustworthy and dishonest at the same time. You are trustworthy or dishonest. Perhaps this describes "fence straddlers" who profess one thing to gain approval, but act in an opposing way.
ReplyDeleteThere is always a cost associated with choice which for the most part we are unwilling to pay but in the end not choosing costs more.
ReplyDelete