When I initially read Luke 16:1-13, I didn't get it...
He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’
3 “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’
5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? (Luke 16:1-12)
Initially, it seemed that Jesus was teaching it's okay to lie, steal and bribe so that we can receive favor from man - of course He wasn't; but after reading the passage in various other translations, the Message version made it very clear...
Now here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.”
10-13 Jesus went on to make these comments:
If you’re honest in small things,
you’ll be honest in big things;
If you’re a crook in small things,
you’ll be a crook in big things.
If you’re not honest in small jobs,
who will put you in charge of the store?
No worker can serve two bosses:
He’ll either hate the first and love the second
Or adore the first and despise the second.
You can’t serve both God and the Bank. (Luke 16:8-13 MSG)
God wants us to be wise in making daily life decisions. Before we were saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, ...you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8-10) The "steward" or "crooked manager" in the passage was still operating in darkness, but we who are saved, we are no longer to operate in darkness; however, we are to take certain survival skills we learned while we were in "darkness" and use them in the "light", ...using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival,...
The definition of being streetwise is having the experience and knowledge necessary to deal with the potential difficulties or dangers of life in an urban environment; and street-smart is a person who has alot of common sense and knows what's going on in the world. This person knows what every type of person has to deal with daily and understands all groups of people and how to act around them. This person also knows all the current things going on in the streets... and knows how to make his own right decisions, knows how to deal with different situations and has his own independent state of mind. A street smart person isn't stubborn and actually listens to and understands things.
Some examples of using our streetwise or street-smart senses towards becoming "soul wise" are the following:
- pay attention to our surroundings - These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying:... “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men,..." (Matthew 10:5,16-17)
- be careful who our friends are - Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (I Corinthians 15:33)
- try not to make any enemies - If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:18)
- spend less and save more - The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5)
- don't borrow unless necessary and only what we can afford to pay back - The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)
- don't use our name as a guarantee for someone else - One with no sense shakes hands on a deal, securing a loan for a friend. (Proverbs 17:18 CEB)
- take care of our bodies - Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
- treat others the way we want to be treated - “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You shall not murder. 14 “You shall not commit adultery. 15 “You shall not steal. 16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 “You shall not covet ... (Exodus 20:12-17)
- live each day with the end in mind - For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. (2 Peter 2:20-21)
- put first things first - Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
- etc...
The main problem with the manager in the passage was, and the same is for everyone who uses crooked methods to seek personal gain, For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. (Philippians 3:18-19) "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36)
We who are saved have to keep in mind that this life isn't the end. God created all mankind with an eternal soul, and ...we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10) So when we see people appear to be getting what they want in this life by practicing the ways of darkness, remember Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house is increased; 17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. 18 Though while he lives he blesses himself (for men will praise you when you do well for yourself), 19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. 20 A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:16-20)
Jesus concluded the teaching about the manager saying, 13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.(Luke 16:13-15) AMEN!
- put first things first - Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
- etc...
The main problem with the manager in the passage was, and the same is for everyone who uses crooked methods to seek personal gain, For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. (Philippians 3:18-19) "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36)
We who are saved have to keep in mind that this life isn't the end. God created all mankind with an eternal soul, and ...we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10) So when we see people appear to be getting what they want in this life by practicing the ways of darkness, remember Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house is increased; 17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. 18 Though while he lives he blesses himself (for men will praise you when you do well for yourself), 19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. 20 A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:16-20)
Jesus concluded the teaching about the manager saying, 13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.(Luke 16:13-15) AMEN!
