Proactive and Shrewd

And his master commended the unjust manager [not for his misdeeds, but] because he had acted shrewdly [by preparing for his future unemployment]; for the sons of this age [the non-believers] are shrewder in relation to their own kind [that is, to the ways of the secular world] than are the sons of light [the believers]. And I tell you [learn from this], make friends for yourselves [for eternity] by means of the wealth of unrighteousness [that is, use material resources as a way to further the work of God], so that when it runs out they will welcome you into eternal dwellings. —Luke 16:8-9 AMP

Our reference verses today are excerpted from a story Jesus shared with his disciples about the shrewdness of an unjust manager. The unjust manager had been squandering his master’s wealth until it reached to a point where he was about to get fired for his misdeeds. Knowing he was about to get fired, this unjust manager quickly thought of a clever plan to secure his future. He contacted all the people he knew who had borrowed from his master. Then, he told them that they only had to pay back half of their debts. He did this to make friends with these people he was now “doing a favor for.” Obviously, he only planned to secure his future by being in good standing with these people. Notably, one of the most interesting parts of the story is probably when Jesus told his disciples they should “learn from this.” Why would Jesus say to learn from an unjust man?

Why and what was Jesus telling his disciples to “learn from this” story. In the story, the unjust manager is actually commended by his master for his diabolical plan! The verses above say that the master did not commend the manager for his misdeeds necessarily, but because he was so shrewd (or proactive) in preparing for his future unemployment. That act was admirable and commendable. The googled definition of the word ‘shrewd’ means “having or showing sharp powers of judgment.” Jesus then tells his disciples that unbelievers are more shrewd (having sharper powers of judgement) than believers seem to be. He then says, “learn from this, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness [that is, use material resources as a way to further the work of God.]” Jesus was telling his disciples that, just like this manager, when resources run out, they should make sure to proactively establish a plan to attain wealth. That is exactly what the manager in this story did when he realized he was about to get fired.

Jesus was not telling his disciples to be unjust like this unjust manager was. (As a matter of fact, in this particular case, this manager would not have been fired if he had just chosen to be just instead of unjust in the first place.) However, what Jesus was teaching was that when unfavorable circumstances arise, we should be “shrewd” enough to develop a plan for the future just like this manager was able to do. Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” The righteous will not inherit the “sinner’s” wealth, neither will we be able to leave an inheritance for our “children’s children” if we do not know how to be proactive like the manager in this story was. Be proactive concerning your future. Think of a plan for the future and execute on it. There is always a way whenever someone has the willpower to see a certain fate come to pass. That is the lesson that can be taken from our reference story today.

Lots of Love, XO