The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 28 February 2020 – TOPIC: CHRIST COMMENDS CROOKEDNESS?
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DATE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020
TOPIC: CHRIST COMMENDS CROOKEDNESS?
READ: LUKE 16:1-13 (NKJV)
1. He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.
2. “So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’
3. “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.
4. ‘I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’
5. “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to [him,] and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
6. “And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’
7. “Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
8. “So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
9. “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.
10. “He who [is] faithful in [what is] least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in [what is] least is unjust also in much.
11. “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true [riches?]
12. “And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
13. “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
THE MESSAGE:
And the Lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely. For the children of this world are wiser than the children of light” (verse 8).The question now is – does Christ commend crookedness? All endowments, talents and leadership positions come from or are allowed by God and hence, He is interested on how they are managed. We are custodians of God’s gifts and endowments (verse 2).
When the rich man in today’s text commended his unjust steward, it was not because he liked how the steward squandered his resources, but he commended his skill and shrewdness in making provisions for his future (verse 4). Jesus used this parable to teach His followers – children of light – to be skillful and wise in using the resources He gave them to secure a place in heaven for themselves (Matthew 6:19-20). Using our resources to show love to others, secures us a place in God’s Kingdom (Matthew 25:35, 36, 40). The point this passage brought out is clear enough, which is, being generous and responsible with one’s resources. It is only then the Lord can commit more valuable spiritual things to you (verses 10-13). Our Lord Jesus did not commend crookedness but shrewdness and wisdom. Be wise! Use your resources wisely.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to understand that by helping the needy, I’m investing in heaven. Amen