A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor. ~Proverbs 17:18
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? ~Luke 16:10-12
So, probably most of you by now have heard Kathy and I talking about all the work going on at our house. We’re actually just having fun. We do what we can afford and then plan out our next goal, both financially and physically and then move toward it. We kind of like to joke that it’s our governor’s fault. She left Home Depot open instead of Hobby Lobby during the shut-down so, what else was there to do?
Seriously though, Kathy often says that she has a sense that we’re fixing up this house for someone else. We have no idea who, but that kind of thinking helps us keep our minds on decisions that others will appreciate, not just us, so that this place will be a blessing to others, when we are gone. I guess you could say that we see ourselves as stewards, not owners, even though, for now, we’re paying the mortgage. I guess we’ve just moved around too much to have a sense that we will be putting down deep roots anywhere in this life.
Kathy’s parents, however, had a different experience with home ownership. Kathy’s Dad got his property after WWII through the help of the VA. He was actually pretty proud of the land because, he claims, he beat out the banker’s son to get it. Kathy’s dad was a character. Anyway. They had 120 acres, twelve miles out of town. They had a small dairy farm and Kathy’s Mom had a huge garden. Dad built the farmhouse that they lived in and they raised seven children. Kathy’s aunts and uncles were all nearby and the roots were deep. When Kathy’s mother passed a few years ago, the property passed to mostly one of Kathy’s brothers, though a few siblings also have some part in it.
We describe our different experiences this way. Kathy and I are more like a potted plant that grows and gets repotted and moved around at the owner’s will. Kathy’s parents are more like an oak that has been allowed to grow and flourish in one place to bless those who happen to walk by. What is the same about both of our circumstances is that, even though we both could claim ownership, Kathy’s parents knew, as we know, that we are only stewards.
What we had and have, is only ours for a time and then, we will be moving on. Kathy’s parents moved on to eternity as we will also someday. But unlike her parents, we may have a few more earthly moves to go, and that’s okay. We do well to see ourselves as stewards of what we are given.
“A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.” Notice the description of this man as, “lacking in judgment.” He is not being careful with what he has been given and is willing to risk it on a borrower who obviously hasn’t earned the trust of others on his own, thus, the borrower needed someone to co-sign, or put up security for him. That in itself shows a lack of wisdom on the first man’s part and has earned him the description of “lacking in judgment.” He may have had people pleaser qualities that would make it hard for him to say “no.” He may have thought he was being a friend. The question is, would he have been so willing to pledge his own property if he had seen his relationship with his own resources as it truly is, a steward, not an owner? (There are exceptions and sometimes a step of faith to trust in God and the borrower may be rewarded. But I think it’s rare.)
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” Jesus actually made this statement about being trusted with little, after telling the parable about the shrewd manager. This is a parable that often leaves many readers scratching their heads. Just to review, a manager was observed, by his boss, to be a bit sloppy in his care of the boss’s resources.
The manager got wind that he was going to lose his job. He knew that he wouldn’t make it as a common laborer and he didn’t want to be seen as a beggar so he called in some of those who owed the boss certain things, wheat, oil…and had them reduce the amounts owed. His reasoning was that he was making friends with his possible next employers. We can see that he wasn’t thinking things through very well, because a future employer probably wouldn’t hire someone who had helped him cheat on his prior boss.
As western, 20th century readers, we get caught up in questions like, “Is Jesus promoting dishonesty?” or “Is Jesus really commending this manager?” Jesus Himself explains why He is relaying this parable, however when He says: “The people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind, (sinner to sinner), than are the people of the light.” (Luke 16:8B)
His audience was the religious leaders of the day who considered themselves to be enlightened, but, in Jesus’ opinion, were not stewarding their resources from God correctly at all. They were lacking in good judgment of the use of the resources that they had, acting more like owners than stewards, not being wise for the benefit of those they were over. Instead, they were hording and staying apart from the needy, keeping their resources among themselves. Jesus advises: “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into “ETERNAL,” dwellings.” (Luke 16:9)
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” God is overseeing how we steward what He has loaned us. When He likes what he sees, He just may entrust us with more. It goes back to a common theme we have seen this year about using the resources that God has entrusted to us to further His kingdom. When we handle it well, He will give us more because we have demonstrated that we can be trusted to use it well.
We are meant to be a conduit of His blessing, not a bank to hold on to it, and most of all, not to use it in ways He has deemed foolish and irresponsible, as the fool lacking in judgement was in the proverb or as the Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking. God is setting the example by stewarding His resources well. He watches how we handle what He has already given to determine whether we can handle more. He is testing us. May our conduit of blessing to others increase.
Prayer: Father, thank You for helping me to know that I own nothing. You are a good shepherd, so, I also lack nothing that I need, I shall not want. Because of You I can be a joyful giver! But help me wise in my stewardship of Your resources. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: Because I Have Been Given Much
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? ~Luke 16:10-12
So, probably most of you by now have heard Kathy and I talking about all the work going on at our house. We’re actually just having fun. We do what we can afford and then plan out our next goal, both financially and physically and then move toward it. We kind of like to joke that it’s our governor’s fault. She left Home Depot open instead of Hobby Lobby during the shut-down so, what else was there to do?
Seriously though, Kathy often says that she has a sense that we’re fixing up this house for someone else. We have no idea who, but that kind of thinking helps us keep our minds on decisions that others will appreciate, not just us, so that this place will be a blessing to others, when we are gone. I guess you could say that we see ourselves as stewards, not owners, even though, for now, we’re paying the mortgage. I guess we’ve just moved around too much to have a sense that we will be putting down deep roots anywhere in this life.
Kathy’s parents, however, had a different experience with home ownership. Kathy’s Dad got his property after WWII through the help of the VA. He was actually pretty proud of the land because, he claims, he beat out the banker’s son to get it. Kathy’s dad was a character. Anyway. They had 120 acres, twelve miles out of town. They had a small dairy farm and Kathy’s Mom had a huge garden. Dad built the farmhouse that they lived in and they raised seven children. Kathy’s aunts and uncles were all nearby and the roots were deep. When Kathy’s mother passed a few years ago, the property passed to mostly one of Kathy’s brothers, though a few siblings also have some part in it.
We describe our different experiences this way. Kathy and I are more like a potted plant that grows and gets repotted and moved around at the owner’s will. Kathy’s parents are more like an oak that has been allowed to grow and flourish in one place to bless those who happen to walk by. What is the same about both of our circumstances is that, even though we both could claim ownership, Kathy’s parents knew, as we know, that we are only stewards.
What we had and have, is only ours for a time and then, we will be moving on. Kathy’s parents moved on to eternity as we will also someday. But unlike her parents, we may have a few more earthly moves to go, and that’s okay. We do well to see ourselves as stewards of what we are given.
“A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.” Notice the description of this man as, “lacking in judgment.” He is not being careful with what he has been given and is willing to risk it on a borrower who obviously hasn’t earned the trust of others on his own, thus, the borrower needed someone to co-sign, or put up security for him. That in itself shows a lack of wisdom on the first man’s part and has earned him the description of “lacking in judgment.” He may have had people pleaser qualities that would make it hard for him to say “no.” He may have thought he was being a friend. The question is, would he have been so willing to pledge his own property if he had seen his relationship with his own resources as it truly is, a steward, not an owner? (There are exceptions and sometimes a step of faith to trust in God and the borrower may be rewarded. But I think it’s rare.)
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” Jesus actually made this statement about being trusted with little, after telling the parable about the shrewd manager. This is a parable that often leaves many readers scratching their heads. Just to review, a manager was observed, by his boss, to be a bit sloppy in his care of the boss’s resources.
The manager got wind that he was going to lose his job. He knew that he wouldn’t make it as a common laborer and he didn’t want to be seen as a beggar so he called in some of those who owed the boss certain things, wheat, oil…and had them reduce the amounts owed. His reasoning was that he was making friends with his possible next employers. We can see that he wasn’t thinking things through very well, because a future employer probably wouldn’t hire someone who had helped him cheat on his prior boss.
As western, 20th century readers, we get caught up in questions like, “Is Jesus promoting dishonesty?” or “Is Jesus really commending this manager?” Jesus Himself explains why He is relaying this parable, however when He says: “The people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind, (sinner to sinner), than are the people of the light.” (Luke 16:8B)
His audience was the religious leaders of the day who considered themselves to be enlightened, but, in Jesus’ opinion, were not stewarding their resources from God correctly at all. They were lacking in good judgment of the use of the resources that they had, acting more like owners than stewards, not being wise for the benefit of those they were over. Instead, they were hording and staying apart from the needy, keeping their resources among themselves. Jesus advises: “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into “ETERNAL,” dwellings.” (Luke 16:9)
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” God is overseeing how we steward what He has loaned us. When He likes what he sees, He just may entrust us with more. It goes back to a common theme we have seen this year about using the resources that God has entrusted to us to further His kingdom. When we handle it well, He will give us more because we have demonstrated that we can be trusted to use it well.
We are meant to be a conduit of His blessing, not a bank to hold on to it, and most of all, not to use it in ways He has deemed foolish and irresponsible, as the fool lacking in judgement was in the proverb or as the Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking. God is setting the example by stewarding His resources well. He watches how we handle what He has already given to determine whether we can handle more. He is testing us. May our conduit of blessing to others increase.
Prayer: Father, thank You for helping me to know that I own nothing. You are a good shepherd, so, I also lack nothing that I need, I shall not want. Because of You I can be a joyful giver! But help me wise in my stewardship of Your resources. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: Because I Have Been Given Much
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