Luke 16:1-13

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The Parable of the Shrewd Manager
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 “‘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.’

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 one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

luke 16:1-13

Going through this, i've read it a few times, trying to fully understand it. Here's what im getting out of it.

To summarize, basically, a "master" has caught his servant (manager) abusing his position, by "wasting his possessions". After being kicked off and fired, he needed to reassemble his life. He decided to call those who are in debt with his master. By telling those in debt that they now owe a smaller amount, i assume that he helped pay his master back.

A few things that stuck out:
- v.3: "im ASHAMED to beg" - when i read this, i immediately thought of pride. That clearly this manager cared about his status and didnt want to lower himself.
- v.8: "the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light." - shrewd meaning clever. The world is full of pride, and we all tend to be selfish and want the most for ourselves, and we'll use any sneaky tactic to boost ourselves up. Where as Christians, the people of the light are less selfish, are able to put others before themselves.
- v. 13: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” - two masters. I guess this echoes the message at retreat, and that verse that has been on my mind lately. That the cost of discipleship is EVERYTHING. I personally know that there are parts of me that is still holding onto different sins and im just not willing/ready to let go yet. We have to learn to fully commit and devote ourselves to our relationship with Christ and not let anything get in the way between that.

Today "living as people of light" just stuck out to me. And its interesting to see it hinted at too in verse 8. I really think we need to continue to grow and live as reflections of Christ. Of his love, grace, and mercy. We cant be flashing lights, sometimes on, sometimes off, we have to be strong radiating lights to the world, to those around us. And we must set an example as representatives of Christ. Its difficult to follow through, but we have to try.

verse of the day: Ephesians 5:8
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

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