Recently I heard a bible story and felt that have made some reflection. The story described a shrewd manager (Luke 16:1-13), when the rich man fired this manager, this manager planned for the future and gave some favour to those who owed his boss money so that they will welcome him in their house. For debtor who owed 1 million, he reduced the amount of loan payable to 500,000. For another, he reduced the one hundred bushel of wheat and wrote it as eighty. The most amazing thing was that the rich man boasted this shrewd manager for his clever. At first, we did not understand, we did not know how to digest this story.
Obviously the manager wronged his boss, but the Bible pointed out that he has some strengths that are worth learning. He was a person who understood himself and planned for the future. To plan for the one page of life he seized the opportunity. He also wanted to establish good personal relationship (v. 4). Jesus has given a faithful advice, the aim is for disciples to learn a lesson.
“ I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9)
Jesus pointed out that there are things on the earth that we treasure today. We have to renew our value system and prepare for the eternal.
Jesus announced that there is a time when “money is no use”, we have to learn to give up these things in exchange for being welcome into eternal dwellings (v. 9). Jesus thought that money is “very little” thing (v. 10) Things of eternal are big thing, therefore we have to focus on big thing. Jesus stated that there are earthly riches then in heaven there is “true riches” (v.11) He also revealed that today’s wealth belong to other people, only things in heaven belongs to ourselves (v. 12) Jesus summarized it and said “ “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 16:13)
Dear brothers and sisters, we have to learn from this shrewd manager, put aside things on the earth and be ready to receive things in eternal because only those truly belong to us. Therefore, we cannot serve God and also serve mammon (money). Each of us has to make choice for eternal how you devote your resources (money, time, gift, abilities). Amen.
