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A Surprising Lesson from a Shrewd Manager

The Bible is far from boring. Walls that fall down after people shout, fig trees that shrivel and die instantaneously, a floating zoo, a bush that’s on fire but doesn’t burn, a dead man who walks out of his grave in his grave clothes, and the list goes on. Not boring! If anybody tries to tell you Scripture is dry, encourage them to spend a little more time reading it. 😉 

It’s also a bit surprising at times! The gospels are full of stories about Jesus’ earthly ministry. As you page through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, you read about Jesus teaching, healing, sharing meals  and conversing with all kinds of people. Well, imagine my surprise the other day when I came across a passage about a shrewd manager that seemed to suggest that believers should be more like “the world.” WHAT!? Now I’ve read the gospels countless times, and maybe you have, too. But this passage had sure slipped past my careful attention. It’s a parable Jesus told about a shrewd manager.

In the first part of the parable, a rich man basically threatens to relieve his manager of his duties. The manager is supposed to be managing his possessions, but the rich man has determined that they’re being wasted. Worried about how he’ll survive without a job, the shrewd manager calls in each of his master’s debtors and decreases the amounts that they owe. Maybe so they’d be kind to him once he was jobless and in need of help?

Regardless of the reason for his actions, the manager was impressed. Check out this verse that explains the rich man’s response: 

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. -Luke 16:8

I didn’t see that coming… To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting this part of the parable to say, but I definitely didn’t think the dishonest manager would be commended. And what does that second sentence really even mean? If I’m confused by a passage, one of the first things I do is check another translation. Here’s how The Message translation words the same verse:

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. -Luke 16:8

Hmmm. Now the verse seems to be clarified in pointing out that nonbelievers are smarter than believers. Is that really what the verse is saying? When I still have questions in my mind from a Bible passage, another incredible resource I often turn to is called Blue Letter Bible. This website (or app) offers in-depth resources such as commentaries, Greek and Hebrew word tools, concordances, and more.

Here are a couple thoughts I read on Blue Letter Bible about Luke 16:8. 

  • If we pursued the kingdom of God with the same vigor and zeal that children of this world pursue profits and pleasure, we would live in an entirely different world. -David Guzik
    • For example, Coca-Cola is more widely distributed than the gospel. This is to the shame of the church! -David Guzik
  • The wisdom of worldly people in the concerns of this world is to be imitated by us in the concern of our souls. -Matthew Henry

Wow! Are your mental wheels spinning? After reading these helpful explanations from the commentaries used on Blue Letter Bible, a light bulb turned on in my head. What a unique way to think about what it should look like to live passionately as gospellers and disciples of Jesus. Do you pursue Jesus with the same energy and excitement that you’re expending to save up for and plan your next vacation? …or with the same focus you have as you work toward that promotion? …or with the same discipline you’re using to stock up money for a downpayment on a house? If you’re not feeling convicted right now, I bet I’m feeling convicted enough for the both of us.

I love how God uses anyone and anything to accomplish His purposes. In this instance, He uses an example from the world to teach believers how we could be going about our kingdom business. God teaches His children with creativity and wisdom. What a fun blessing it is to sit on the receiving end of His powerfully effective teaching methods.