The Shrewd Manager

Story Snapshot

A manager about to be fired reduces what his master's debtors owe, to make friends who will help him later. The master commends his shrewdness. Jesus tells his followers to use worldly wealth wisely, be faithful with what they are given, and serve God rather than money.

Main Characters

Story Summary

Jesus told his disciples about a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. The master called him in and announced he would be dismissed. The manager thought to himself, What will I do now? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. Then he had an idea to secure friends for the future. He called in each of his master's debtors and reduced what they owed, one from a hundred measures of oil to fifty, another from a hundred measures of wheat to eighty. The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For, Jesus observed, the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. He told his followers to use worldly wealth to gain friends for themselves, so that when it is gone they will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Whoever is faithful with little is faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with little is dishonest with much. If you have not been trustworthy with worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? No servant can serve two masters; you cannot serve both God and money.

Timeline

• The AccusationA manager is charged with wasting his master's goods.
• The PlanFacing dismissal, he schemes to secure his future.
• The ReductionsHe lowers what the debtors owe to make friends.
• The CommendationThe master commends his shrewd foresight.
• The LessonsJesus teaches on wealth, faithfulness, and serving God.

Themes

What This Story Means

This is one of Jesus' most puzzling parables, because the manager is dishonest and yet commended. The key is what he is commended for: not his dishonesty, but his shrewd foresight. Facing a crisis, he used the resources at his disposal to prepare for his future. Jesus observes, with some irony, that worldly people are often wiser about earthly matters than God's people are about eternal ones. The lesson is not to imitate the manager's fraud but his foresight: use the wealth of this world, which will not last, wisely and generously for eternal ends. The teaching then widens. Faithfulness in small things, including money, reveals whether we can be trusted with greater things. And finally, the sharp conclusion: money is a tool to be used, but it must never become a master. No one can serve both God and money; the heart will always choose one.

Bringing It Home

• Use worldly wealth wisely and generously for eternal purposes.
• God's people should be at least as shrewd about eternity as the world is about money.
• Faithfulness with small things reveals faithfulness with great ones.
• Money is a useful servant but a ruinous master.
• You cannot serve both God and money; choose whom you will serve.

Key Verse

Did You Know?

• The manager is commended for shrewdness, not for dishonesty.
• Mammon is an Aramaic word for wealth or money.
• The Pharisees, described as money-lovers, were listening.
• It is unique to Luke's Gospel and among the hardest to interpret.

Read Next

What This Shows Us About God

• God entrusts wealth as a stewardship to be used wisely.
• God looks for faithfulness in small things.
• God will not share the throne of our hearts with money.

What This Shows Us About People

• We are often shrewder about money than about eternity.
• We reveal our character in how we handle small trusts.
• We are prone to let money become our master.

A Question to Sit With

Am I using the wealth God has entrusted to me wisely for eternity, or does money quietly master me?

Prayer

Lord, help me use the resources You have given wisely and generously, with eternity in view. Keep money in its place as a servant, and let me serve You alone with an undivided heart. Amen.