Scripture Focus: Luke 16:1–13
Jesus never shied away from tough truths. In Luke 16, He drops a parable that can make us scratch our heads: the story of the dishonest manager. At first glance, it seems like Jesus is praising shady behavior. But look closer—this isn’t about celebrating dishonesty. It’s about calling us to wake up, get wise, and live boldly for the Kingdom.
The Story
A rich man hears that his manager has been wasting his possessions. The boss calls him in: “You’re fired. Give an account of your work.” The manager panics—he’s not strong enough to dig, too proud to beg. So he schemes: he reduces the debts of his master’s debtors to win their favor. That way, when he’s out of a job, he’ll have somewhere to go.
And then we hear something a little unexpected—Jesus says the master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly.
What Jesus Is Teaching
This parable isn’t about ethics. It’s about urgency, wisdom, and living with eternal perspective. Remember, Jesus isn’t endorsing what the manager did. He’s not complimenting the manager’s actions, He says that the master commended the manager. Often times in a parable like this we would expect the master to be an analogy for God the Father or Jesus, but it’s a little more complicated than that in this parable. Jesus would never commend dishonesty.
1. Be Shrewd for the Kingdom
Jesus points out that “the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the children of light.” In other words, people who don’t know God often hustle harder for temporary gain than believers do for eternal reward. He’s not wrong, of course, an His words still ring just as true today. Look at the champions of the world, and the work that they put in to acquire what they have.
We live in a world that’s relentless in chasing profit, power, and position. But we, the people of God, have access to eternal riches. Do we move with the same intentionality, the same creativity, the same drive s them? It’s at least debatable, mostly.
Jesus isn’t calling us to be shady. He’s calling us to be strategic. To use everything we’ve got—time, money, influence—not for our glory, but for the advancement of His Kingdom.
2. Use Temporary Resources for Eternal Impact
The dishonest manager used money to secure a future. Jesus tells us to do the same—but not for ourselves. “Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves,” He says, “so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (v.9).
This is about investment. Are we using what we’ve been given—our finances, our networks, our platforms—to love people, serve the poor, reach the lost, and build the Church?
If your bank statement could preach, what sermon would it give?
3. Faithfulness Starts Small
Jesus wraps up with a powerful truth: “Whoever is faithful with little will be faithful with much.” If we can’t be trusted with temporary things like money, how can we be trusted with true riches?
This parable challenges us to look inward. Are we managing our resources in a way that honors God? Are we being faithful with what’s in our hands—even if it seems small?
As Christians, we believe in bold, fearless obedience to Jesus. And that starts with how we steward what He’s given us.
Whether you’re managing a ministry budget, working a 9–5, or figuring out how to make ends meet—you’ve been entrusted with something. The question is: are you using it with eternity in mind?
Be the kind of people who don’t waste what we’ve been given. Be wise, bold, and intentional. Use every resource to push back darkness and bring light into the world.
Be faithful, even if you only have a little. And if you’ve got a lot, you’ve got a lot to give.
