The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading PlanSample

Stewardship

This perplexing parable appears at first glance to encourage dishonesty. But Jesus enjoins us to mimic the manger’s shrewdness, not his dishonesty. No parable can be interpreted correctly until its purpose has been identified. Before asking what a parable means, the reader must ask why it was told. The situation which prompted this parable is recounted in Luke 15:1 – 2. The Pharisees were attacking Jesus for eating with the wrong people. His answer to their charge came in the form of four separate parables, the first three of which are recorded in the previous chapter (see 15:3 – 32). In the parable of the manager (see 16:1 – 9) Jesus drew his conclusion. Managers work hard and “smart” to please those for whom they work. But some go the extra mile and work “shrewd.” While it appeared to some that Jesus was working contrary to the Father’s wishes, he and the Father both knew that Jesus was working judiciously and discerningly (synonyms for shrewdly) on precisely those things which the Father wanted accomplished (notice the first sentence of 16:8).

Jesus made it clear that we are the stewards of all he has given us. We manage his resources on earth. Since leaders manage multiple resources, the stewardship role is especially applicable to them. Verses 8 – 15 contain the application of this passage. Read them carefully from the standpoint of your role as a manager of God’s resources. The point of stewardship is that we manage what God owns (and he owns everything). He expects maximum return on his investment. Managers work hard and smart. The best managers are also shrewd. They look for the “extra” opportunity to serve God well.

Taken from NIV Leadership Bible