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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider For acting prudently

For acting prudently

Published Nov 9, 2023 10:44 pm

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Gird your loins

The parable of the Dishonest Steward is a parody on how material wealth should be used. In the ancient world, many slave managers handle the accounts of their masters. Such stewardship is delicate because they have to balance the interest of the master and the concerns of their fellow slaves. The temptation to use one’s position for self-advantage is very strong, but Luke warns his readers that no one should live on dishonest wealth, and no one should use his position to have the advantage and privileges all for one’s self. 


Rather, by being attentive to the plight of their fellow slaves, the slave-stewards will find recompense in neighborly gratitude. They find welcome from their fellows. In the spiritual realm, the “clever ones” will find hospitality in the heavenly abode for being clever in the use of wealth. This parable serves as invitation for Christians to be prudent children of this world. Even more so, as children of the light, they share or give away material gains so as to profit a far greater reward in heaven.
 

Gospel • Luke 16:1-8 
Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’  The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ 


He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”


Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023.” E-mail: [email protected].

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