Businesses often have to take risks to get noticed. And the Minnetonka Corporation did just that in 1980. Although liquid soap had been around since 1865, people weren’t yet using it in their homes. But Minnetonka decided to change that when they introduced Softsoap®. Since both liquid soap and the pump already existed, they couldn’t patent those products, so how could they corner the market before bigger companies took it over?
Minnetonka determined that if they could get a six-month lead on their competitors, the market would be theirs. They went to the only two manufacturers of plastic pumps and bought their entire supply—one hundred million. Their competitors would have to wait 6-8 months for the supply of pumps to be replenished, but they hoped by that time, consumers would be locked in on buying Softsoap. It was shrewd and risky, and it paid off. Big.1
Shrewdness doesn’t sound like a positive quality in the Christian life, but Jesus challenged His followers with a story of shrewdness. What would happen if we exploited our resources in order to grow the kingdom of God?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Luke 16:1-2
1 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So 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.’”
Jesus took an unusual approach with this parable to call us to be wise with our resources. His parable involves two men: a rich man and his manager. This managerial position was typical in Middle Eastern countries during Jesus’ time. A manager ran the rich man’s business affairs and estate. He made decisions regarding the household servants and the distribution of goods and conducted business transactions on his master’s behalf. We see a similar arrangement much earlier in Scripture with Joseph and Potiphar. (See Gen. 39:1-20.)
This manager was running his employer’s business into the ground. He was squandering his boss’ money. Jesus did not clarify how the manager was doing this nor what he was using the money for, but you can hear the dismay in the rich man’s voice, as he demanded, “What is this I hear about you?” A man he thought he could trust with his business—the business that fed his family—was stealing from him. The employer was upset and had every right to be. “Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.”
Let’s change out the characters: we are the manager, and God is the rich business owner. “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Ps. 24:1). God created everything in and of this earth, and He charged us with the responsibility of overseeing His creation (Gen. 1:28-30). We are simply managers of God’s resources. Nothing is ours; it all belongs to God. Just like the manager in the parable, we all have, at some point in our lives, been guilty of wasting God’s resources.
Money is not the only resource God has placed in our hands. God also has entrusted into our care our property, possessions, opportunities, and relationships—all we have. They are all resources that can advance the kingdom of God. The influence God has given us in our work can be used productively to honor Christ and advance His kingdom. He has given us time we can waste—or we can use it productively to honor Christ and point to Him.
In the parable, the manager was called to account. At some point, we likewise will be held responsible for how we have used our resources and opportunities. We would be wise to change our habits, become kingdom-minded, and use everything God has entrusted to us to glorify Him and help others.
Luke 16:3-9
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— 4 I 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 “ ‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’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. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”
The manager was on the verge of losing everything he had. He couldn’t complain about his situation, since he was responsible for what he had done. He didn’t deny that! But what was his next step?
The manager had an “aha moment.” He was quick on his feet and made a plan. He called in all of his employer’s debtors and changed their bills right in front of them. The manager “doctored the books” in their favor. This was an “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” kind of deed. He was hoping if he helped them out, when he got fired and had nowhere to live, he could call upon the debtors to return the courtesy.
At this point, we might think this is not going to end well for the manager. But verse 8 contains a surprise: “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly.” He admired him?
The owner was surely still upset with the manager. In fact, the manager was stealing again by changing the bills and the accounting. In spite of that, the owner was impressed because his wise manager was “thinking outside the box.” The manager actually did his boss a favor. He made the owner look good—even generous. At this point, had the owner stepped in and returned the bills to their original amounts, the debtors would have viewed him as oppressive. By reducing the bills, the manager may have even brought in an influx of money the business owner would have struggled to get anyway. So the business owner praised his dishonest manager, not for his underhandedness, but for his shrewdness.
The manager was influencing influencers, those who could influence his future. He was leveraging the influence he had over people who someday might help him.
I know many examples of men and women who use their influence to further God’s kingdom. Perhaps you do too. The question we must continually ask ourselves is: “Am I leveraging everything I am and all I have to further the kingdom of God?”
Luke 16:10-12
Parents understand what Jesus was teaching. If a child is making ill use of his toys, chances are his parents will not buy him new toys. Similarly, if we are being irresponsible and mishandling what our heavenly Father has given us, why would He bless us with more? Character is of major importance here.
For those who think they have nothing to offer or no influence to leverage, think again. Do you have a living room? Open your home up to encourage and support other believers. Do you have kids? Create a playgroup and let them gather in your home on rainy days. I have heard story after story of people coming back from Bible studies where they met other people with similar interests; consequently, they formed ministry groups based on these interests. These groups have gone on to create a big impact for God’s glory. When you use what God has provided with kingdom mindedness, you will be fruitful.
LIVE IT OUT
How will you be wise with what God has placed in your hands?
Choose one of the following applications:
- Confess. If up to this point you have used your time, resources, and possessions only for yourself, confess that to God. Ask Him to change your heart and use what He’s entrusted to you for the sake of others and for His kingdom.
- List. Make a list of the resources and possessions at your disposal. Beside each item, list one or two ways you could use those in service to Christ. Develop a strategy for using those things for Him.
- Work together. Join with others who share a like-minded interest or passion and consider how you can work together to use that interest to benefit others and advance Christ’s kingdom.
Words such as “exploit” and “shrewd” may not be common in our Christian vocabulary, but when we apply them in the biblical context, we become more effective kingdom managers.
Hope to see everyone this Sunday!!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
EXPLOIT YOUR FRIENDS
Hope to see everyone this Sunday!!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
EXPLOIT YOUR FRIENDS
We rightly associate all things righteous and holy with Jesus Christ. Yet in one parable, Jesus seemed to endorse the unrighteous behavior of an individual. On closer examination, we see that Jesus was not approving the man’s behavior that could be useful, even to people who are living the righteous life in Christ. Believers are to seize opportunities to use their resources wisely to accomplish worthy goals.
Exploit: make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource).
Shrewd: having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute. "she was shrewd enough to guess the motive behind his gesture" synonyms: shrewd, sharp, sharp-witted, quick-witted, ingenious, clever, intelligent, brilliant, smart, canny, intuitive, discerning, wise, judicious,
I. A Desperate Dilemma Luke 16:1-2
Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So 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.’”
What are some things God has placed in your life to manage?
How have you seen people squander God given resources and opportunities?
Jesus told a parable about a steward. This steward had charge of his master’s money. He had “wasted” his master’s money. He had not necessarily stolen the money, but he had spent it foolishly. The master not only terminated his employment, but he also demanded an accounting from the steward. This put the steward in a terrible quandary. He would not only lose his job, but when word spread about what happened, no one else would hire him as a steward. He was not strong enough to do manual labor, and he was too proud to go on the streets and beg for money. Are you ready for your “day of reckoning”? We know the day of judgment is coming. Those who have rejected Christ will answer for their sins. If you have trusted in Christ, your eternal destiny is settled, but you will still have to give an account to God for how you’ve spent your time here on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10). We do not know when it will happen. Death can happen to anyone, and at any moment. The steward had sense enough to prepare for his day of judgment. Do you have sense enough to prepare for yours?
1. We are held accountable for how we use our resources and opportunities.
· As followers of Christ, we are to conduct ourselves in such a way as to be above reproach.
· Faithful disciples need to prepare to give an accounting for the way they have handled responsibilities that have been assigned to them.
II. A Shady Solution Luke 16:3-9
“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— I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ “ ‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’ “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.’ “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. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”
If you had to describe the manager’s actions in one word, what would it be? Why?
Why do you think the master commended the steward’s actions?
The steward came up with a clever idea. He called in each of his master’s debtors. Most likely they were husbandmen, which means they worked the master’s land and paid him with a portion of the crops. “A hundred measures of oil” – He probably grew olives, and paid the landowner in olive oil. How was the steward able to reduce their debts? Some say he deducted the interest that was owed, or he waived his own commission. Since Jesus said he was “unjust”, he likely did something illegal. Surprisingly, his master praised what he had done. He did not approve of what the steward had done, but he had to admit his actions were clever. The debtors would remember his kindness to them, and they would give him food and shelter when he was unemployed. If he wore out his welcome with one debtor, he had many more who owed him favors. Jesus did not commend the steward’s ethics (which were lacking), but He did commend his foresight. Even the unbelieving people of this world have enough good sense to prepare for the future. We know our judgment day awaits, so should we not make ready?
2. We are to be wise – shrewd – in the way we use our resources and opportunities.
· When facing unexpected difficulty, rather than whine about our circumstances we need to consider the options available to us to make things better.
· Discover ways to relate to other people in such positive ways that they will be willing to help you in time of a future need.
· Rejoice at the prospects of going to heaven and being greeted by those you helped through your faithful stewardship and wise use of your resources.
III. Some Timeless Truths Luke 16:10-12
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?”
How would you summarize Jesus’ teaching in this passage?
What are some resources you have that can be used for God’s purposes and glory?
Jesus meant you should use your money for things that matter. “When it fails.” In other words, someday your money will fade away. If you’ve invested your money in nothing but earthly possessions, you will have nothing to show when you stand before God. You may not have much, but you should use what you have. God knows what resources He has entrusted to you, and He expects you to use them for His glory. If you are not wise with the little you have, why should He entrust more resource to you? How are you investing what God has entrusted to you? Your money belongs to Him, and you are simply a steward. If you have not been faithful with earthly resources, why would God give you a reward in heaven? If you’ve been unfaithful with God’s resources, which do not even belong to you, why should He give you rewards of your own? What are some ways to invest God’s resources? Give to worthy charities. Help individuals in need. Support world missions.
3. We are to be faithful to God in the way we use our resources and opportunities.
· We are to prove ourselves trustworthy in small tasks before we are considered capable of greater tasks.
· We are to prove ourselves trustworthy with worldly resources before we can expect to be entrusted with God’s resources.
· Faithful disciples will commit to managing their worldly goods in ways that contribute to kingdom purposes.
LIVE IT OUT
How will you be wise with what God has placed in your hands?
Confess. If up to this point you have used your time, resources, and possessions only for yourself, confess that to God. Ask Him to change your heart and use what He’s entrusted to you for the sake of others and for His kingdom.
Words such as “exploit” and “shrewd” may not be common in our Christian vocabulary, but when we apply them in the biblical context, we become more effective kingdom managers.
We generally consider our money, valuables, and possessions as our business. We don’t want other people probing into our financial affairs. The truth is our money and possessions and the way we handle them reveal a lot about our character, our priorities, and even our relationship to God. Failure to pay our bills not only leads to bad credit, but also to a bad opinion from others who see it as irresponsible, unreliable, and untrustworthy behavior. A review of our monthly bank and credit card statements reveals what we think is important by showing us where and on what we generally spend our money. And whether we are willing to acknowledge that all we own is a blessing from God and to admit that what we have really is His, says much about who God is to us; what place He has in our lives; how much we love Him; and how much we trust Him.
In this lesson, we were reminded that we are held accountable for how we use our resources and opportunities. We are to be wise in the way we use all that we have been given. Finally, we are to be faithful to God as trustworthy stewards to use our resources, possessions, and opportunities for His purpose and His glory.
Conclusion: When I was about five or six years old, my Dad and brother and I went fishing at my great uncle’s farm. My Mom’s uncle had a farm outside Corinth, Mississippi, and he had a nice-sized lake on it. We were out in the boat fishing, and late that afternoon we saw Uncle Bynum’s mule coming to the lake. Uncle Bynum had a little garden, and he used the mule for plowing it. The mule came on down to the lake, and he waded out into the water, some distance from the bank. A short time later, Uncle Bynum came down to the lake, and he wasn’t happy. The mule had seen him get the plow and harness out of the barn, and he knew what was getting ready to happen. He waded out in the lake so Uncle Bynum couldn’t get to him! Uncle Bynum tried everything to get that mule out of the lake. He yelled at him and threw sticks at him. That mule didn’t budge. I told that story some time ago and a lady said, “That was a smart mule!” Indeed, he was. He knew Uncle Bynum was about to put him to work, so he took precautions to prevent it from happening. If a mule can plan ahead, shouldn’t we do the same? We know a day of judgment is coming. Someday all of us will stand before God and answer for what we’ve done in this life. God has warned us about it in advance. Are you using your time and resources wisely – in a way that brings glory to God? Even though you’re one of His children, He’ll still demand an accounting from you. Remember this parable of Jesus. Learn your lesson from this clever crook and get ready for the day of reckoning.
What is the meaning of the Parable of the Unjust Steward / Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-13)?
The Parable of the Unjust Steward can be found in Luke 16:1–13. The text can be broken down into two parts: the parable (verses 1–8) and the application (verses 9–13). Luke 16:1 identifies that Jesus is speaking to His disciples, but there is a suggestion that His audience is mixed—disciples and Pharisees. Luke 16:14 states that the Pharisees “heard all these things and ridiculed [Jesus].” We also see in verse 1 that Jesus “also” said to the disciples; the “also” would suggest that this parable is connected to the previous three in Luke 15 and that the audience was a mixed crowd of disciples and Pharisees.
It is important to know to whom Jesus is addressing this parable. The parable is for the benefit of the disciples, but there is also a not-so-subtle critique of the Pharisees, as was evident in Luke 15. Verse 14 is Luke’s commentary on the motivation of the Pharisees, and in verse 15 we see our Lord condemn their motives. And what was the Pharisees’ motivation? They were those who were “lovers of money” and who “justify themselves before men” and who exalted that which was an “abomination before God.”
With that as a backdrop, let’s look at the parable. It’s a fairly simple, if somewhat unorthodox, parable from Jesus. The story is simple, but the setting is unusual. In most of Jesus’ parables, the protagonist is either representative of God, Christ, or some other positive character. In this parable the characters are all wicked—the steward and the man whose possessions he manages are both unsavory characters. This should alert us to the fact that Jesus is not exhorting us to emulate the behavior of the characters but is trying to expound on a larger principle.
The parable begins with a rich man calling his steward before him to inform him that he will be relieving him of his duties for mismanaging his master’s resources. A steward is a person who manages the resources of another. The steward had authority over all of the master’s resources and could transact business in his name. This requires the utmost level of trust in the steward. Now, it may not be apparent at this point in the parable (but is made more evident later on), but the master is probably not aware of steward’s dishonesty. The steward is being released for apparent mismanagement, not fraud. This explains why he is able to conduct a few more transactions before he is released and why he is not immediately tossed out on the street or executed.
The steward, realizing that he will soon be without a job, makes some shrewd deals behind his master’s back by reducing the debt owed by several of the master’s debtors in exchange for shelter when he is eventually put out. When the master becomes aware of what the wicked servant had done, he commends him for his “shrewdness.”
In His application of the story in the remaining verses, Jesus begins by saying, “For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light” (Luke 16:8). Jesus is drawing a contrast between the “sons of the world” (i.e., unbelievers) and the “sons of light” (believers). Unbelievers are wiser in the things of this world than believers are about the things of the world to come. The unjust steward, once he knew he was about to be put out, maneuvered to put others’ debt to himself. He did so by cheating his master (who more than likely was cheating his customers). He made friends of his master’s debtors who would then be obligated to care for him once he lost his job.
What does this have to do with believers being wise about the life to come? Let’s look at verse 9: “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” Jesus is encouraging His followers to be generous with their wealth in this life so that in the life to come their new friends will receive them “into eternal dwellings.” This is similar to Jesus’ teaching on wealth in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus exhorts His followers to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19–21).
The term unrighteous (or worldly) wealth seems to strike readers the wrong way. But Jesus is not saying that believers should gain wealth unrighteously and then be generous with it. “Unrighteous” in reference to wealth can refer to 1) the means in acquiring wealth; 2) the way in which one desires to use the wealth; or 3) the corrupting influence wealth can have that often leads people to commit unrighteous acts. Given the way in which Jesus employs the term, the third explanation seems the most likely. Wealth is not inherently evil, but the love of money can lead to all sorts of sin (1 Timothy 6:10).
So, the principle that Jesus is trying to convey is one of a just steward rather than an unjust one. The unjust steward saw his master’s resources as a means for his own personal enjoyment and advancement. Conversely, Jesus wants His followers to be just, righteous stewards. If we understand the principle that everything, we own is a gift from God, then we realize that God is the owner of everything and that we are His stewards. As such, we are to use the Master’s resources to further the Master’s goals. In this specific case, we are to be generous with our wealth and use it for the benefit of others.
Jesus then goes on to expand in verses 10–13 the principle given in verse 9. If one is faithful in “little” (i.e., “unrighteous” wealth), then one will be faithful in much. Similarly, if one is dishonest in little, he will also be dishonest in much. If we can’t be faithful with earthly wealth, which isn’t even ours to begin with, then how can we be entrusted with “true riches”? The “true riches” here is referring to stewardship and responsibility in God’s kingdom along with all the accompanying heavenly rewards.
The climax of Jesus’ application is verse 13: “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (see also Matthew 6:24). If God is our Master, then our wealth will be at His disposal. In other words, the faithful and just steward whose Master is God will employ that wealth in building up the kingdom of God.
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