Continuing our journey through the gospels looking at Jesus’ parables, we come to a parable where Jesus appears to compliment dishonesty. This parable is called the Parable of the Dishonest Manager and while the main character is dishonest, another characteristic about this manager is worth focusing on more than his dishonesty.
It is my suspicion that this parable isn’t as well known because many people don’t know what to do with a parable that contains a dishonest person, but I believe that the other characteristic is what Jesus wanted us to focus in on when reading this parable, not the dishonesty.
Let’s read this parable and discover several things Jesus wants to teach us. Our parable and passage are found in Luke’s gospel, chapter 16, and we will read from the New Century Version of the Bible. Starting in verse 1, Luke tells us that:
1 Jesus also said to his followers, “Once there was a rich man who had a manager to take care of his business. This manager was accused of cheating him. 2 So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give me a report of what you have done with my money, because you can’t be my manager any longer.’ 3 The manager thought to himself, ‘What will I do since my master is taking my job away from me? I am not strong enough to dig ditches, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I’ll do so that when I lose my job people will welcome me into their homes.’
5 “So the manager called in everyone who owed the master any money. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe?’ 6 He answered, ‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write four hundred gallons.’ 7 Then the manager asked another one, ‘How much do you owe?’ He answered, ‘One thousand bushels of wheat.’ Then the manager said to him, ‘Take your bill and write eight hundred bushels.’ 8 So, the master praised the dishonest manager for being clever. Yes, worldly people are more clever with their own kind than spiritual people are.
If Jesus had finished the parable here, we might be tempted to think the praise that the master gave to this manger’s dishonesty may have changed the master’s mind. We might even jump to the conclusion that God will overlook dishonesty if it serves a greater purpose.
Oddly enough, when reading this parable, the manager must have cheated the master in the past, because if not, his response is certainly cheating his master and setting himself up for dismissal. There is nothing in this parable that suggests this dishonest manager was able to keep his position or avoid being fired. The only praise that is given is that this manager is clever.
Is being clever a valid excuse for dishonesty?
Before we assume an answer for this, we should realize that Jesus isn’t finished talking and sharing. Instead of assuming what Jesus wanted us to learn from this illustration, we should continue reading and discover what Jesus wanted those in His audience to learn.
Picking back up in verse 9, Jesus continued by saying:
9 “I tell you, make friends for yourselves using worldly riches so that when those riches are gone, you will be welcomed in those homes that continue forever. 10 Whoever can be trusted with a little can also be trusted with a lot, and whoever is dishonest with a little is dishonest with a lot. 11 If you cannot be trusted with worldly riches, then who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you cannot be trusted with things that belong to someone else, who will give you things of your own?
In Jesus’ follow-up explanation for this parable, we discover two big ideas.
The first big idea is the theme in verse 10, where Jesus tells us “Whoever can be trusted with a little can also be trusted with a lot, and whoever is dishonest with a little is dishonest with a lot.”
Intuitively we know this is true, and this is why many companies have zero tolerance policies regarding stealing, especially in the areas of the company that deal with money.
However, the other big idea is actually a little more profound. While the context of this parable is clearly within a sinful world, Jesus pushes past this world into a time past the end of sin. Jesus stresses that relationships are more important than wealth when He first tells us to “make friends for yourselves using worldly riches so that when those riches are gone, you will be welcomed in those homes that continue forever.”
Looking at the big picture, there is only one home that will continue forever, and this home is God’s home. Earthly riches are temporary, and the best use of these riches is not in acquiring worldly friends, but in using the earthly riches to bless others in God’s name. When we use our money to bless other people, we are lifting God up and we are building relationships that will continue forever.
The emphasis in this parable is on the long-term, from the focus of eternity. While also stressing that worldly riches are temporary, Jesus contrasts worldly riches with true riches. In this context, true riches might simply mean solid relationships and friendships between people who focus on blessing each other, but it might also reference the treasure God is waiting to give us when we arrive in heaven.
Another possible parallel that is not often thought of in this parable and Jesus’ explanation is the concept of eternal life. We could look at eternal life as something more valuable than all the earthly, “temporary” riches. Eternal life lasts longer than the worldly, “temporary” riches as well. However, the last verse paints a new picture when we view it through the lens of eternal life.
In verse 12, Jesus tells those present: “And if you cannot be trusted with things that belong to someone else, who will give you things of your own?” The immediate context is dishonestly, but when we frame this verse alongside the ultimate gift of eternal life we are offered, we get the picture that our lives here on this earth are not our own. Our lives in this sinful world are borrowed. If God sees that we are trustworthy with this life, He is willing to give us a life of our own – specifically eternal life.
The problem with eternal life only being given to those who are trustworthy is that no one is worthy of that much trust. We all have sinned, even if we are professionals at rationalizing sin as something other people do while we don’t. The only way to show ourselves as worthy of God’s gift is to ask Jesus for His help and to trust in His sacrifice on our behalf. When we trust Jesus, place our faith, hope, and belief in Him, He will cover our sin with His life and we become worthy of being trusted with God’s ultimate gift of eternal life.
The dishonest manager proved he was unworthy of trust through his last act of cheating, but he did realize that relationships are more valuable than finances. What we should learn from this fictional man’s dishonesty is that worthwhile relationships and friendships last longer than money. God is looking at our lives to see if we are honest and trustworthy enough to be gifted eternal life, the ultimate gift that is worth more than everything else, and the gift that will last longer than earthly, worldly riches.
As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:
As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first and place Him first in your life. Choose to live your life in an honest and trustworthy way, because this life is borrowed, and because this life is like a test of our trustworthiness in God’s eyes. Don’t feel discouraged or helpless if your past isn’t worthy of God’s trust. Know that no-one’s past is worthy of God’s trust.
Instead, intentionally ask Jesus for help to become the trustworthy person God created you to be, and believe that He will help you become trustworthy in your future while covering the sins of your past with His life.
Also, keep praying and studying the Bible for yourself to purposefully grow closer to God and to Jesus. Don’t take my word, or anyone else’s word for what the Bible teaches. Choose to study it out for yourself. You may be surprised with what you discover.
And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or cheat yourself away from where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!