From Unrighteous Wealth into Eternal Dwellings

“And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:9 ESV) Controversy and shrewd business practices are nothing new. Jesus even recognized the “skill” that some have at working the system to get themselves out of tight situations. What is helpful from the parable of the dishonest manager in Luke 16 is Jesus’ strong admonition to look at our lives from a completely different perspective – namely, to look at our lives in the light of the grace and mercy of God. Today at International Lutheran Church, we reexamine our own lives in light of God’s grace to us and how that changes the way we deal with one another.

Paradox, parable, and proverb often go hand in hand – especially in Asian cultures. One of my favorite tales or idioms is that of Sai Wong Shi Ma, Yan Zhi Fei Fu (Sai Wong lost a horse, who knows if this is not a blessing?) The story goes that a wise old man had a horse that ran away. When his neighbors came to console him at his loss, they were greeted with his strange musing – “Who knows if this is not a blessing?” When the horse returned together with another horse, the villagers were quick to see that he was right and that it was a blessing in disguise, but again he responded with “Who knows if this is a blessing or not?” It seems he was not quick to congratulate himself. Again not long after, the old man’s son fell from the new horse and broke his leg thus confirming the old man’s restraint and again they came to console him, yet still he replied with his idiom, “Who knows if this is not a blessing?” And when the northern tribes attacked and only Sai Wong’s son was spared conscription into the emperor’s army, it seemed that still his wisdom was proved right again, “Who knows if this is not a blessing?” While the reality of which is a blessing and which is a curse seems elusive, the paradox of change is constant.

There is an element of this kind of paradox in the parable of the “dishonest” or literally “unrighteous” manager in Luke 16. It is difficult to understand what the parable is trying to say – especially Jesus’ comment in verse 9 “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” Even more so is it difficult to know how to put this into practice. Jesus highlights the shrewd actions of one who is accused of being dishonest by actually being liberally dishonest. The manager is in a real dilemma. He is going to be out of his job of managing. His musing about his options (digging or begging) leaves him with only one choice – to cancel a portion of the debts of the debtors in hopes of finding a home to go to when all is lost. It is this action of unbridled faith that is commended as clever, shrewd, or perhaps even wise. Yes, the paradoxes do abound. Yet one thing stands out – the grace of God in Christ. Jesus’ actions to liberally forgive the debts of others out of His own wealth, while controversial and unconventional, is good news and, in fact, life-changing.

There are a number of reasons why we should take such a bold and unconventional view of these words. First, these words are part of that same dinner party that began in Luke 15:1. Jesus’ action to dine with the tax collectors and the sinners won him a number of negative comments for His extravagant treatment and wasteful inclusion of the dregs of society. Second, each of the ensuing parables culminated in the celebratory feast at the lost one that was found. The extravagant expense of the meal should not be overlooked. Even the older son in Luke 15 recognizes the utter foolishness of his father’s actions (Luke 15:25-32). Third, Jesus connects these thoughts verbally in His earlier description of the younger son’s wasteful actions. Just as the son wasted (Luke 15:13) his inheritance, this manager was accused of wasting his master’s property (Luke 16:1). The fourth and final connection is the underlying difference between Jesus’ actions and attitude and those actions and attitudes of the Pharisees. Their disdain for Jesus and His words are born out of their love of position and wealth (Luke 16:14-15), just as Jesus’ words and actions are born out of an entirely different equation where 1 is more than 99, 9 or even self. Yes, Jesus instructs His disciples on management or house-rules of another kind, where the bottom line looks considerably different – “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33) “You cannot serve both God and money.” (Luke 16:13) This is nothing more than Jesus pointing again to the cross and showing us our value and worth through the extravagant expense of His own life for ours. This is the kind of management that breaks all the rules and undoes all the debts. It is also the kind of management that then transforms our own choice of actions. This is the power of God to save and to make again something from nothing, or stated another way, from negatives to positives, or from unrighteous wealth to eternal dwellings.

For sure, one day we will give an account, even as we come today and confess our own squandering of the many blessings that God has given us as if they were simply curses. We come not trusting in our own actions to set things right but trusting in His actions for us so that we are welcomed into His eternal dwellings. For not only does His grace change us, but it even changes the way we treat one another. As we take up our tasks this week, our vocations and callings, we do so with a completely different management style – turning unrighteous wealth into eternal dwellings. God grant us this faith to liberally forgive one another and show to our neighbor that the bottom-line is His loving kindness toward them and all.

Pastor Carl