Thursday 07 June 2012
- Bible Book:
- Luke
"There was a rich man who has a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property." (v. 1)
Background
What a strange passage we have before us today. Surely Jesuscannot be saying that it is right to be dishonest in our dealingswith the things we have been given into our charge?
The key seems to lie in the word "squandering", which is used inthe accusation against the steward. It is the same word which isused for the actions of the younger son (
If this is the case, it would seem that the steward had found a wayof getting round the usury laws by lending in this way. But insteadof charging a reasonable amount of interest which would go backinto the estate, he had upped the amount to cream off some forhimself. If we work out the maths and see the difference in thepayment demanded after the steward had reduced the figure, we canconclude that what had been previously charged was extortion in abig way. And it is his imminent dismissal which brings the stewardto his senses and finds him a way out of his difficultly. His jobis lost, but by putting things right financially he makes friendswith those he had been falsely charging and sees a way to beginagain, freed from his guilt and dishonesty.
To find a parallel today is not easy but when you are next onpublic transport where there are posters offering you a loan whenyou are in need of money, look at the very small print at thebottom of the page. "Just pick up the phone" the advert might say,but the small print tells you that the interest is 125 per cent ormore. Someone is being an unjust steward somewhere.
To Ponder
Does the parable imply that we have to be moreworldly in our thinking when it comes to the work God gives us todo? Why? Or, for that matter, how?
How can the church practically help people to seebeyond the instant gratification a pay-day loan can give?
Do we teach enough about the use of money in ourchurches? What might we do to redress this?