Luke 16 and stewardship

I’ve always loved the concept of stewardship; it makes me think of being entrusted and trustworthy in the pursuit of some worthy role.  My Webster’s Dictionary says: person appointed to manage the domestic and business affairs of a large household or estate; one actively concerned with the direction of the affairs of an organization (as a church or club); a person employed to supervise the provision and distribution of food (as on a ship); a worker who serves and attends the needs of passengers (as on a train or ship).

For many years I thought that the story tells us that if we can’t pay all we owe, at least we can begin to repay the debt with what is available.  By getting under-way, and handing over a portion of the owed amount, more often than not we can then see more clearly how to repay the whole figure.  I have seen this happen over and over again in business.  Where the debtor has been so overwhelmed with the size of the payment required that they are almost paralysed, starting out and paying what they can manage right now (sometimes stretching just to do that) somehow opens up the flood-gates and soon the debt is repaid.  It tells me that idleness and inaction (usually the result of fear and embarrassment) need to be stamped out and replaced with prompt action.

Well, even though I believe the above is true, it is not the point of Jesus’ parable
in this instance.  I have found two helpful renderings which shed new light for me. 

First from Eugene Petersen’s The Message:

 

The Story of the Crooked Manager

 

Jesus said to his disciples, “There was once a rich man who had a manager.  He got reports that the manager had been taking advantage of his position by running up huge personal expenses.  So he called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you?  You’re fired. And I want a compete audit of your books.’

 

“The manager said to himself, ‘What am I going to do? I’ve lost my job as manager.  I’m not strong enough for a labouring job, and I’m too proud to beg...Ah, I’ve got a plan.  Here’s what I’ll do...then when I’m turned out into the street, people will take me into their houses.’

 

“Then he went at it.  One after another, he called in the people who were in debt to his master.  He said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

 

“He replied, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’

 

“The manager said, ‘Here, take your bill, sit down here—quick now—write fifty.’

 

“To the next he said, ‘And you, what do you owe?’

 

“He answered, ‘A hundred sacks of wheat.’

 

“He said, ‘Take your bill, write in eighty.’

 

“Now here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager!  And why?  Because he knew how to look after himself!  Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens.  They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits.  I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behaviour.”

 

Jesus went on to make these comments:

 

If you’re honest in small things,

You’ll be honest in big things;

If you’re a crook in small things,

You’ll be a crook in big things.

If you’re not honest in small jobs,

Who will put you in charge of the store?

 

 

And from The Living Bible of Kenneth Taylor:

 

Jesus now told this story to his disciples: “A rich man hired an accountant to handle his affairs, but soon a rumour went around that the accountant was thoroughly dishonest.

 

“So his employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about your stealing from me?  Get your report in order, for you are dismissed.’

 

“The accountant thought to himself, ‘Now what?  I’m finished here, I haven’t the strength to go out and dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg.  I know just the thing!  And then I’ll have plenty of friends to take care of me when I leave!’

 

“So he invited each one who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation.  He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’

 

“‘My debt is 3400 litres of olive oil,’ the man replied.

 

“‘Yes, here is the contract you signed,’ the accountant told him.  ‘Tear it up and write another one for half that much!’

 

“’And how much do you owe him?’ he asked the next man.

 

“’35000 litres of wheat,’ was the reply.

 

“’Here,’ the accountant said, ‘take your note and replace it with one for only 28000 litres!”

 

“The rich man had to admire the rascal for being so shrewd.  And it is true that the citizens of this world are more clever [in dishonesty] than the godly are.  But shall I tell you to act that way, to buy friendship through cheating?  Will this ensure your entry into an everlasting home in heaven?  No!  For unless you are honest in small matters, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.  And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?  And if you are not faithful with other people’s money, why should you be entrusted with money of your own?