Reverend Ref +

YEAR C - PENTECOST 16 - PROPER 20

Jesus said, "Once a traveling salesman was met by a thief. And the thief, disguising himself, inquired into the salesman's business. 'I am delivering specially made goods to a very wealthy customer,' answered the salesman. The thief, determining that he could take advantage of the customer and the salesman, went by another route to the home of the customer. Once there, he killed the customer and lay in wait for the salesman. The salesman, arriving later, didn't recognize the thief and was also killed, leaving the thief with the riches of both people. Therefore, whomever wants to be my disciple must act as shrewdly as a thief."

Now we all know that Jesus didn't say that. But for me, today's gospel might as well be that re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood, with Jesus urging us to play the part of the wolf. What are we to make of this story where the dishonest manager gets praised and we are urged to make friends by means of dishonest wealth?

Well, here are a few thoughts (in case you thought I didn't have any). First, the manager was squandering the rich man's property. What if the rich man were God? According to Genesis 2:15, humans were created to manage God's creation, so this can't be too far off the mark. And if we look at creation as God's property, haven't humans squandered it through the ages? Through mismanagement, pollution, scorched-earth warfare, clear cutting and strip mining to name a few. But it isn't only large companies that are guilty of squandering God's property. Individuals are just as guilty. We could all be better about turning lights off and heat down, recycling, using low-wattage bulbs, and walking instead of driving. As God's property managers, are we doing all we can to manage that property wisely, or are we too squandering it? Because, in the end, we will be called to account for our actions, just like the manager in today's gospel.

But notice what this man did when the rich man called him to account. He did two things which I think are noteworthy. First, he accepted responsibility for his actions. He didn't make excuses. He didn't blame circumstances. He didn't accuse his underlings. He acknowledged his fault and immediately began working to correct the problem.

And in correcting the problem, he made plans for his future. The corollary is clear -- work to secure a better future, whether in this world or the next. And just think what we could accomplish if we all worked on our own spiritual future as hard as this man worked towards his temporal future.

Second, he inadvertently made a more equal distribution of wealth. Reading the gospel, it sounds like the debtors were in debt up to their eyeballs. If they paid the minimum due, it might be that the rich man would never recoup what was owed and the debtors would never get out of debt. So the manager reduces the amount owed. Anyone who's been in business knows that it's better to get something than nothing. In the business I worked for, we would occassionally be in this situation, and sometimes it was better to find out what we could collect and cut our losses. By reducing what was owed, the manager probably collected more for the rich man than he would have otherwise. The manager was shrewd indeed.

The poor get out of debt and the rich still collect. People remember how they were treated, and that's what Jesus is getting at. If we all treated each other with the same effort to make amends as the manager, then those people, theoretically, would treat us in like manner. Good breeds good. It's that whole good neighbor thing.

And finally, there's the bit about a slave serving two masters. This entire story, and particularly this ending, highlights the discrepancy between money and God. You can divide your time between both -- job and church, savings account and tithing -- but you can't be devoted to both. I've said this before: whatever is your focus, whatever you are a disciple of, everything else falls from that. If you are dovoted to, or a slave of, money, your self-worth and the worth of others is based on financial status.

I feel I have to be particularly careful with this one. My two areas of concern aren't money and God (basically because I'll never have enough to worry about it); but my two areas of concern are Sheridan and Virginia City. How do I divide my time? Which office gets the "good" decorations? Do I become devoted to Sheridan because that's where I live or because their attendance is regularly higher than VC? Or do I become devoted to VC because they have the ability become more high church and it's where people want to get married?

The answer, of course, is neither. I am devoted to God with the understanding that everything I do starts there and is manifested in both places.

So, what does a story about a dishonest manager who gets praised by Jesus have to say about life today? It tells me to take better care of God's property. It tells me to think seriously about redistributing wealth. And it tells me that my primary focus should be on God.

What does it tell you?