Dishonest or Faithful Steward?

By Fr. Jack Peterson
Herald Columnist
(From the issue of 9/16/04)

In the passage today from Luke’s Gospel, Jesus presents his followers with a story that is easily misunderstood. Our Lord tells a parable in which a dishonest steward is told to give an account of his stewardship that is about to come to an end because he has squandered his master’s property. He proceeds to call in his master’s debtors one by one and cuts what they owe by generous percentages. The master commends the dishonest steward for acting prudently.

On the surface, it might appear that Jesus is commending the steward for being dishonest in this transaction because he is cutting his master’s profit. However, an important detail about this financial arrangement helps to clarify what is really being praised by Jesus.

The steward was often a slave born in the master’s household who was given tremendous leeway and complete responsibility over the management of the master’s property. While he had to turn a profit for his master, he would often make money for himself by charging interest on loans or by exacting more from laborers than was actually owed to the master. So, in the parable, when the steward cuts the debtors notes by 20 or 50 percent, he was shaving off the extra he was charging for himself, so that he would endear himself to these laborers for the day when he was laid off. He was not in fact cheating his master at this moment. He had already done that before, and this was the reason Jesus described him as dishonest.

Jesus, then, is commending him for being clever and prudent in the midst of a difficult situation. Jesus highlights his point by adding: "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light."

Perhaps Christ is expressing a frustration that we can be very clever when faced with worldly challenges and fail to use those same gifts to further the kingdom of God. It is amazing how creative and resourceful we can be when applying our expertise to solve problems at work, with our children at school or with financial concerns at home. Yet, we often do not have the time, the energy or the motivation to bring those same gifts to the service of the Church and her mission to bring Christ to every corner of the world. Too few Christians really apply their creative and resourceful talents to help the Church improve her mission of service to mankind and resolve the many challenges she faces.

This parable leads us to ask ourselves a few probing questions. Do I see myself as being an important member of the Church? Am I honestly aware of the talents and skills that God has given to me as a child of the light? Have I been willing to use these gifts to humbly serve the Church and her mission? If, at the end of this reflection, I find my stewardship to be lacking, am I willing to change and become a Christian who uses my gifts to build a culture of love?

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