No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” vs. 13
Luke 16:8-13
Most of the time the parables of Jesus are focused on a particular point, and if we study them long enough, we can see what he’s up to. The parable of the dishonest manager is more difficult to deal with. Many have called it enigmatic. At the end of our reflection though it seems evident that Jesus is speaking some hard truths about wealth, and the difficulty it provides for those who wish to be his followers. He seems to be saying that the best thing you can do with the wealth that comes into your hands in the course of your lifetime is to give it away. He implies that it’s dangerous, that it could threaten your relationship with God, that it can actually become your god! Is he right? Well, even a cursory look at the lives of people in this generation is enough to verify his point. Countless folks have devoted themselves to wealth and are preoccupied with its accumulation through every hour of the day. And it has unbelievable power, directing us into particular careers and lifestyles, and dictating the ultimate goals of our lives. It even influences our friendship circles and the neighborhoods we live in. When wealth is our master, it becomes almost impossible to serve Jesus!
Thought for the Day: How has wealth impacted my life?
0 Comments