A reflection on Luke 16:1-8 for Friday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time.
The dishonest steward is a strange person to find in the Gospel. He has wasted his employer’s resources. When he learns he is about to lose his job, he reduces what others owe his master so they will show their gratitude later. Oddly, the master praises him for acting this way. I feel like Jesus should take a moment to explain exactly what I am supposed to admire about this dishonest man..
The “Dishonest Steward” deserves its name. He is smart though. He understands quickly that his fortunes have changed. He thinks about what he can do, works with the people available to him, and takes action. He is focused on his future.
I can bring that kind of energy to ordinary problems. If travel plans fall apart, I can switch routes and rearrange a whole day. If my dishwasher stops working, I can find three possible repairs before lunch. But when a relationship is strained, I wait for the awkwardness to go away. When a situation is too challenging, I am tempted to say there is nothing I can do.
Maybe Jesus tells this unusual story because I need a wake up call. The steward uses the resources he has to look after himself. What if I brought some of that practical imagination to loving another person? I would make the call I have postponed. I would ask what I can do to help. I would try a different approach after the first one fails.
Of course every clever idea is not always a good one. The steward reminds us that resourcefulness needs a good cause. I need to ask myself if my plan respects the people involved and tells the truth.
This man is not a model of honesty. But he helps me notice where I have become strangely passive. I can be energetic when something matters to me. Jesus challenges me to think about if I believe the work of love matters enough to try.
Reflection questions:
- What difficult situation have I been waiting to resolve itself?
- What small, honest action could I take now?
- Where might I need a new approach instead of giving up?