The Teachings of Jesus in Luke: Settling

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’ Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’ And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes. ~ Luke 16:1-9
You are what you settle for. ~ Janice Joplin


I have to tell you that it was tempting to skip over this passage. It's one that more than a few preachers and teachers (including me!) have struggled with.

 But I'm going to embrace it, deciding it was time I looked for something new in it. I decided to read it as if for the first time and see what jumps out at me.

 And what jumps out at me this time is what I think is a bit of sarcasm from Jesus in verse 9.

 You think you can depend on dishonest wealth? Skirting the system? Looking out for number one?

 Go ahead and try, and see where it gets you.

 See what it is like to settle for what the world can give you.

 Maybe some short-term happiness.

 Maybe a good time that doesn't last.

 Maybe some wealth that will can easily be taken away.

 Jesus wants us to know that what he offers isn't so limited. It isn't temporary. 

 It is something that lasts.

 Don't settle. Embrace instead the abundant life that only comes from God. It's a life not defined by what we have, but instead a life defining by love, compassion, faith, and relationship.

Prayer: Help me not to settle, Lord, and instead help me to reach out for the fullness only you can offer. Amen

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