Lk. 16:1-13
In Luke chapter fifteen, we come across the prodigal son who squandered the property of his father. In chapter 16, we read about the steward who squandered the property of his master. Here we see that when the master comes to know his steward’s irresponsible behavior, he was asked to submit the account. At that critical juncture, the servant realizes his role as steward, just as the prodigal son does after experiencing the hardships of the pig sty. Immediately, he plans to secure his future by being very generous towards his fellow workers. He realizes his inability to do any hard work and his hesitation to beg before others. Therefore, he acts very prudently by reducing the burden of his subordinates so that even if he loses his job as a steward, these people would be there to assist him. The master wholeheartedly appreciates the prudent action of the steward. He had a clear idea about the future and did well on his second chance. He used his power and wealth to build friendship by being compassionate towards them.
Jesus encourages the reader to use wealth to build friendships so that those people will come to our aid in times of need. The second message that Jesus gives us is to be faithful in little things so that we may be able to remain committed and faithful even in greater things. The steward was appreciated for his prudence in securing his future. However, if he had remained faithful to his responsibility as a steward, he would not have had to worry about his future and would not have had to engage in all of those negotiations to secure his future. Instead, the master himself could have rewarded him.
In our time, most of us tend to take short cuts in our lives. We are more concerned with the end result than the means. Somehow, we want to achieve certain ends. Being faithful in little things has become an outdated concept. The moral, religious, and intellectual corruption that we see around us is the greatest sign of the deterioration of fidelity in our life situations. The individual who tries to lead an upright and truthful life is often criticized or becomes a laughing stock in front of others for their minimal achievements and for not yearning for much name and fame. The rewards are the peace of mind that they enjoy, and the greatest blessing that they receive is eternal life with him. The prudent steward reminds us to get back to the Lord if we have gone astray from him. Like him, let us think about the future and grow into the awareness that the Lord is our future…