Reflection
In today’s parable of the dishonest, but shrewd steward, Jesus teaches his followers, and us, to be prudent in our spiritual lives as well as in our worldly affairs.
Because of his dishonesty and before news of his dismissal became public knowledge, the prudent steward struck a deal with his master's debtors. In discounting their debts, he probably was giving up his generous commission. Such a deal won him great favor with the debtors. Since the steward acted as the landowner's agent, such a deal made his master look very generous and forgiving towards those who owed him money.
Surely everyone would praise such a generous landowner as the town hero! Since the master could not undo the steward's cancellation of the debts without losing face and making his debtors resent him, he praised the steward for outwitting him and making him appear as a generous and merciful landowner.
Jesus obviously thought that the example of a very clever steward would be a perfect illustration for a spiritual lesson about God and how God treats those who belong to his kingdom. What's the point of Jesus' parable? The dishonest steward is commended not for mishandling his master's wealth, but for his shrewd provision in averting personal disaster and in securing his future livelihood. The original meaning of "shrewdness" is "foresight". A shrewd person grasps a critical situation with resolution, foresight, and the determination to avoid serious loss or disaster.
Jesus is concerned here with something more critical than a financial or economic crisis. His concern is that we avert spiritual crisis and personal moral disaster through the exercise of faith and foresight. If Christians would only expend as much foresight and energy to spiritual matters, which have eternal consequences, as they do to earthly matters which have temporal consequences, then they would be truly better off, both in this life and in the age to come.
Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection
Do you use foresight and discipline in attending to your spiritual needs and practices?
Source for today’s reflection: https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=nov7