Tell Me a Story: Devotions From Time of Grace MinistrySample

STORY #2: Making friends Are you an impulsive spender, or are you very intentional, a planner, in your money use? Do you have a budget, an annual income/expense summary for your household? “‘I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ So he called in each of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.’ 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’” (Luke 16:4-7). Can you say “embezzlement”? This manager was brilliant. Crooked, but brilliant. Knowing that he had but hours left with control over the business accounts, he deliberately falsified the accounts receivable in order to give some very handsome gifts to his boss’ customers. Do you grasp the concept? These customers would feel a sense of obligation to him and would help him out after he was cut loose. Kids, please don’t try this at home.