Friday, November 4, 2016 - If you were told that you have only one more day before the Lord called you to himself, what three decisions would you make?

To read the texts click on the texts: Phil 3:17-4:1; Lk 16:1-8

The text of today contains a parable found only in the Gospel of Luke and which is often titled as the Parable of the Dishonest Steward. In the Parable, the steward is about to be dismissed because of charges against him of squandering his master’s property. Since he does not want to have to do manual labour or beg after his dismissal, he responds to the crisis in his life by taking the decision of reducing the debtor’s debts. The amounts mentioned are all large, and indicates commercial rather than household transactions. By the reduction of the debts, he gains the favour of his master’s debtors, which will stand him in good stead in the future. 

It is not clear whether the steward acted dishonestly through this action, because some presume that he was foregoing his own commission or acting righteously by excluding the interest prohibited by Deut 23:19-20. 

Despite this, however, most prefer the interpretation that the steward continued to be dishonest and arbitrarily reduced the amounts of the debts. By doing this, the steward casts an aura of goodness on his master and also provides for his own future. The point of the parable is not so much honesty or dishonesty, but a call to cast caution aside, seize the opportunity and make provisions for the future before God. The kingdom is here.