And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home

 

 He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."

 

- Luke 16:1-9 

 

In yesterday's reading, we were given the parable of the Prodigal Son (or Lost Son), the third parable Jesus told in response to the Pharisees and scribes who criticized Him for receiving and eating with tax collectors and sinners.  Jesus said:   "A certain man had two sons.  And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.'  So he divided to them his livelihood.  And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.  But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.  Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.  But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.  Make me like one of your hired servants." ' And he arose and came to his father.  But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry, for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'  And they began to be merry.  Now his older son was in the field.  And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.  And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the  fatted calf.'  But he was angry and would not go in.  Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.  So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.  But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'  And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.  It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' "

 

  He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."  My study Bible explains that a steward is responsible for managing his master's property and looking after the welfare of his servants.  The point of this parable is that the unrighteous are better at using money to make friends in the world than believers are at using money to make friends for the Kingdom of God -- which is done by spending it on the needy.  At death (when you fail) the needy will welcome their benefactors into the everlasting home.

 

In today's reading, Jesus turns from His response to the Pharisees and scribes, and gives this parable to His disciples.  Let us recall that He has already given three parables to the Pharisees and scribes in response to their criticism that He receives and dines with tax collectors and other sinners.  Those parables were the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin (in this reading), and that of the Prodigal Son (or Lost Son) in yesterday's reading, above.  The Lost Sheep and Lost Coin speak of the tremendous love and longing of God for those who are "lost" to be returned -- as they belong with all of God's creation restored in the communion of God's love.  The Prodigal or Lost Son spoke of the father's joy at his lost son's return and restoration to the one who loved him -- and that this does not diminish the son who was never lost.  In today's reading, we're given what might seem a perplexing story of a steward by worldly standards, but it is meant to illustrate the principle of mercy and how and why it works.  But this time, it is directed to His followers, and especially to the disciples.  In the context of discipleship, it is a reminder that we all come up short at one time or another.  There is none who is perfect in terms of our own relationship face to face with God, and our own sin.  It is an illustration to those who will represent Him in the world that they must think, when dealing with nominal sinners, of the Master or Lord whom they serve.   We as disciples must learn a proper attitude regarding the blessings we've been given, and how they are used in the world.   In some way, we are not so different from the nominal sinners that we see around ourselves.  We are to use the things of this world to build treasure in heaven, and keep in mind the ultimate reality in which we wish to dwell and to serve, and to bring into the world.  Whatever our blessings are, it is wise to share them prudently and humanely, especially when we do so in service to God, to the kingdom of heaven.  This is a wisdom that declares itself the opposite of selfishness, and at the same time creates an expansive understanding of what our real blessings are.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches:  "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19-20).  This is again the same teaching He will give to the rich young ruler who wishes for eternal life and wants to become His disciple (Luke 18:28-23).  In the Sermon on the Plain, here in Luke's Gospel, when Jesus teaches what is known as the Golden Rule, He says, "For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."  Each of these teachings encourages us to understand the depth of possibilities inherent in our own circumstances, that begin with a proper orientation and understanding of the expansive love of God in the first place.  This is not about rewarding bad behavior, or overlooking evil.  But it is a teaching about grounding ourselves in God's overflowing and abundant love, orienting our own outlooks on life and how we use talent, time, and resources in service to the transfiguration of the world.  Jesus gives us the reminder that there is a bigger picture to keep in mind in our lives in this world, and that also must be a part of our choices in dealing with our time and talents and resources.   We are often wealthier than we think in terms of what we can give to others; sometimes all it takes is a word, an attitude, a kindness of heart, an openness to possibilities, a willingness to come to terms.  Self-centeredness is a very limiting outlook on life.   With today's parable, He's also speaking to those who would be His stewards in the world.   He asks us to be good stewards of the goods and wealth with which we're entrusted, and remember that we are part of a much bigger picture, in all that we do in the world.