Shrewd Steward

Luke 16:5-7

"5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore."

We are studying the parable of The Shrewd Steward. The "certain rich man" fired his steward. If the steward had done wrong to his employer, he is experienced in what he is doing now. If the steward had NOT done wrong his employer has motivated his former steward to look out for himself. 

The steward makes it so that others are indebted to him. Today's verses; "So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore." The steward is marking down or lowering the amount people owe to the "certain rich man." These people not only owe one to the steward they are also accomplices.

While this is often how our world works it's not the way we want to do things. This is a cautionary lesson. We do not want to pit others against each other and we don't want to cheat people. Yet, there is a cunning, decisive and passionate quality to the steward's actions that we can take inspiration from...