Who Is Your Master?

In Luke 16 we have the story of a manager who is about to be fired for “squandering” the boss’s property. Sounds a bit like misappropriation of funds or embezzlement to me. Such a man, faced with no job, need friends or contacts who owe him a favour or two. So before he is ousted he quickly changes the accounts of his customers to reduce their bills.

There are two legitimate ways to do this. First he could remove his own commission. Assuming he is generally dishonest, this could reduce the accounts substantially, while he boss could have no complaint because he wasn’t getting that money in the first place. Secondly, he could remove his bosses interest payments. This would not please his boss, but because in their culture charging interest was against the law he could not complain.

Now he would have business contacts in his field of endeavour who owed him favours, and could potentially be the source of his next job. The boss who comes from the same business culture sees the cleverness of his moves and appreciates the strategy while he still escorts him from the property.

This is a story about hope and where we can find it.

Jesus is talking to us about being faithful to God with what we have for the purposes of the Kingdom of God. The pursuit of wealth can become the primary focus of human life because we think that is the source of our hope. We live in a capitalist world where greed is good and we live in a never-ending rush for more. A house is not enough, it must be a mansion (or two). A car (or 3) is not enough, it must be more powerful or expensive than our neighbour’s car(s).

Whether we gain our wealth honestly or dishonestly, Jesus is warning us that such material life comes to an end. How will you provide for yourself then? Jesus says, the clever thing to do is to use whatever wealth you have to prepare for the eternal home you will want, when all material things become irrelevant. He is not selling tickets to heaven for donations to charity and good deeds.

What he means becomes clear when he talks to the Pharisees in the following segment of the text. He is talking about a change of heart where the goal of our lives changes from a focus on gaining wealth in a competitive, materialistic, capitalist world, to doing God’s will. So he says use your wealth for those ends.

Then because you are faithful to God, you will find a welcoming home with him when everything else is gone. I think Jesus is saying that materialistic goals are already irrelevant and now is the time to focus on the Kingdom of God which holds the hope of eternal life. The life that can bring peace to the world now.

The primary question not, “How do you spend your money?” but, “Who is your master?”

Jesus says you cannot serve God and Money.

Adrian.