Little Leads to More

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Opening Prayer

Creator God, open my eyes and ears to Your truth. Enable me to walk the path ahead of me in the light of Your wisdom.

Read Luke 16:1–18

^[1] Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. ^[2] So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ ^[3] “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg- ^[4] I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ ^[5] “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ^[6] “‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’ ^[7] “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’ ^[8] “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. ^[9] I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. ^[10] “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ^[11] So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? ^[12] And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? ^[13] “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” ^[14] The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. ^[15] He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight. ^[16] “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. ^[17] It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. ^[18] “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Meditate

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10).

Think Further

This parable has caused much concern because it seems to suggest that Jesus endorses dishonesty. The key to understanding it is the whole flow of what the kingdom of God looks like throughout Luke’s gospel, as well as the explanation given by Jesus in verses 10–12.

At the heart of the parable is the dubious behavior of the rich man (who was probably charging interest—that’s the part of the bill the manager knocks off) and the manager, who is accused of wasting the master’s possessions. The manager has been entrusted with significant resources, but his lack of care and professionalism might cost him promotion and advancement. This is what Jesus is driving at when he concludes, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (10).

The first level of application is to Israel. In the days of Jesus, she is God’s manager. Israel has been entrusted with taking care of his affairs and ensuring that the Master is well-represented to his world, but she is in danger of being fired because of mismanagement. Unless Israel is prepared to look at the books, realign with the kingdom of God as presented by Jesus, address her shortcomings before God and make some changes, then she may suffer an unthinkable loss.

The second level of application comes to each of us in the management of that which God has placed in our hands, whatever that is. There is the deposit of faith, which is both privilege and responsibility, and there may also be gifts, material possessions and opportunities that have been given to us to manage for his glory, representing him to his world. If we can handle what we have, we may be given more.

Apply

What opportunities has God given you? How would you rate your management of these opportunities? What possibilities do you see of more opportunities?

Closing prayer

Lord, I pray for wisdom to manage well the gifts and opportunities You have given me.

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