Monday, October 8

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 5 & 24; Micah 1:1-9; Luke 16:1-9 & Romans 4:13-18

Each of us has particular passages of the Bible that are a great challenge for us not only to face but to understand. This morning’s parable about the dishonest manager from Luke 16:1-9 is one of those passages for me. The parable tells the story of a desperate manager who is about to be let go from his position who – in his desperation – resorts to less than honorable means to get by: he speaks to his employer’s debtors and reduces their debts without permission in order to win the debtors’ favor so that he could perhaps stay with them after he loses his job. Jesus’ has the master’s employer say the praisworthy principle involved was not the master’s mercy toward the debtors, but rather his shrewdness in dealing with the difficult circumstance. Even more troublesome are Jesus’ words at the conclusion of the parable in verse 9: “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.” The only other time Jesus spoke in such a way was when he was quoted in Matthew 10:16, admonishing his disciples to be “shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (NASB). I guess the lesson hidden within these passages is that there are certain “survival skills” that serve us well if we are to live out our faith in a world that has very different values and ways of being than our own as Christians. Shrewdness, for me, implies a savvy that helps us not only anticipate the road blocks before us but navigate around them as well. I’ve said for years that my background in politics provided me some of the best training I ever received for parish ministry because it helped me (1) get to know pure unadulterated human motivation and behavior, and (2) learn to work with it in hopes of drawing out the best in folks. I guess in that way I have been shrewd. This shrewdness helped me endure some of the day-to-day challenges and frustrations in parish life that have driven many of my ministerial friends and colleagues out long ago. Are there areas of your spiritual life where a little shrewdness might serve you well in your faith journey? Just a little something to ponder today. Til next time…