Shrewdly Making Friends

Scripture: The master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the children of this age are more shrewd than the children of light in dealing with their own people. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of worldly wealth so that when it fails, they may welcome you into eternal dwellings. Luke 16:8-9

Observation: Jesus tells this confusing story about a dishonest manager. In it, a rich man confronts his home manager/overseer about misuse of his possessions. The manager immediately realizes he will be fired - because the accusations are true - so he takes actions to further use the rich man's wealth to make friends for himself so he can receive assistance once fired. He effectively cheats his rich boss by altering the debt owed him by others. When the rich man learns this, he "praises" the "unrighteous manager". He actually admires the effort and foresight of the manager, using the resources at his disposal to help others.

The story doesn't say if the manager was retained or fired. However, Jesus' point is that the manager used wealth at his disposal to help others. The motivation doesn't seem to care as much as the outcome, and even the rich man - who was seemingly taken advantage of in the first place, then outright cheated out of wealth owed him - thinks the manager did the right thing. It seems likely the rich man has so much, that a few measures of wheat and oil are meaningless, however the mercy and resulting joy of others is more important. And again, if this is the right deed, the motivation for doing right is less important.

Jesus turns this rather confusing story into an indictment of the Pharisees, who "love money". Rich Pharisees know the law - to care for others - and could do so with their wealth, but instead hold onto it themselves. The master - the Lord - is now saying they are going to be called to account for their behavior, and now would be a good time for action, using their money to aid others.

Application: I have enough money to "make friends" shrewdly ... to give money to causes and to individuals with specific needs ... to gain their friendly response. That feels like the wrong motivation, but again perhaps motivation is unimportant, or at least less important than outcomes.

I wonder where my wife and I can look to find such need, and respond to it. She has a position where she learns of need regularly. It may be fun to, once again, be the ones God uses to answer prayers. And to make friends.

Prayer: Lord, please guide us in thinking about this parable and responding to this direction. I absolutely do now want to go the way of Pharisees, appearing to love money despite knowing your teaching. You are my Lord, not the comfort of this world. Amen.