A LESSON FROM THE DISHONEST MANAGER

A  LESSON FROM THE DISHONEST MANAGER

Luke 16:1-9

1Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

3“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

5“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

6“‘Eight hundred gallonsa of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.’

7“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

8“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

The cast of characters in this parable are so familiar to us that they are the same people we see in the business world even today.

Here we see a rich man who appears to be the owner of a business enterprise. It is likely that this wealthy entrepreneur has no small business but a fairly large commercial operation judging from the fact that we see another character in the story who is in charge as steward or  manager of the rich man’s business.

Transposed in present day terms, the manager is possibly the equivalent of a President or CEO of a business organization. In the parable of Jesus, the manager  is accountable to the owner in the management of the business affairs. It seems that the manager here is given almost full authority and discretion to run the affairs of his master based on complete trust and confidence, as if he is the owner. He holds this position as long as the Owner has confidence in him.

The manager is not the owner of the business, he is the steward of the owner. Though he acts as if he is the owner, he is not. As steward, he is entrusted with the things belonging to his employer . He works for the owner and he receives good compensation for his services.

In the parable the time comes when a report of the manager’s mismanagement is brought to the attention of the Owner. The manager is said to have wasted his Master’s possessions. This can only mean that the business is losing, either due to mismanagement, or perhaps the dishonest dealings of the manager. Before the business flounders, the Owner takes matters in his own hands. He asks the manager to turn in his books and give an account of his management.

The owner here gives the manager at least the opportunity to render an accounting so he may be able to explain his shortages, his losses or his accountability. But the owner of course has made up his mind to fire the manager. He said he cannot be manager anymore.  He loses the trust and confidence of the owner.       

The Manager realizes that it is only a matter of time that he will be booted out of work, at least the time given to him for an accounting is a sort of reprieve so he can still use whatever little time he has to think about his future. He knows he is too old to do manual labor as an option, and of course it is beyond his dignity to beg, if only to survive.

And so the manager thinks of a bright idea. He calls all the debtors of his Master one by one. He asks the first, “How much do you owe my Master?” The first debtor said “A hundred measure of oil.” The manager tells him take his bill, sit down and write fifty. Then he asks the next, “How much do you owe?” The second debtor said, “A hundred measures of wheat.” The manager said to him, “Take your bill, and make it eighty.”

The manager’s plan is quite simple. He endears himself to his master’s debtors by reducing their debts. The debtors are too happy to have received large discounts in their outstanding obligations. So the manager gains big favor from the debtors.

It is possible that the Manager simply removes his commission to reduce the indebtedness, a commensurate sacrifice to gain huge favors from the business associates of his master. In ancient times managers earn commissions from collected debts, not far different from present practice.

By doing this the manager hopes that those he gave favors may even hire him  if he is finally out of work. They feel that they owe the manager a favor and the manager has no more qualms in asking favor from them in return when the time comes. This is the fall back position of the manager. Somehow the master got word of this clever idea.

The parable says, “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their 

own generation than the sons of light.”

An interesting observation may be raised, because here our Lord seems to praise or give approval to the dishonest manager. But a careful reading of the passage tells us that the Master did not commend the dishonest manager for his dishonesty but for his “shrewdness.” The manager’s quick  and clever thinking, good common sense and  practical smartness to deal with a personal crisis is down right wise.

The teaching in this parable is unique for it does not teach piety but practical wisdom to deal with the ways of the world. Here we are taught that as God’s people who spurn the wily ways of the world we need likewise to use worldly wisdom and take advantage of every opportunity that this world offers to prepare us in our journey to our eternal dwellings.

Now the practical application in this parable is for us to “make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.”

The  phrase “unrighteous wealth” presents some difficulty for it may mean wealth gained through dishonest or evil means. “Unrighteous wealth” here means worldly wealth, the generic resources of the world. In other words, we are to use the worldly wealth that is at our disposal as we live in this world, in preparation for eternity.  The material possessions at our disposal should be used in advancing the kingdom of God.

The parable teaches us the most practical aspects of ministry. Christians should act as shrewdly as the people of this world, in dealing with worldly possessions, in business, in worldly occupation, to gain better advantage and influence, all for the advancement of the Gospel.  

(Image by geneploss.blogspot.com)