The Shrewd Servant

I don't read much. This could cause a problem in my spiritual life, since reading the Bible is so key to having a relationship with God. Some people like to think of it as "letters from God", or reading a manuscript of what he wants to say to me. I don't know if it's because I live in the era of technology, or what, but I am not usually spending my free time reading. I'm usually doing something on the computer if I have free time.

But I absolutely love www.biblegateway.com. Whenever I do read the Bible, it is often from this website. I love how you can easily switch around the different versions of the same passages, and get a more full understanding of what's being said. And to top it all off, they have Audio Bibles. I can't tell you how many hours of NASB I've listened to. This is what I've found to be my surrogate for reading. In fact, it works better for me to hear it instead of reading because I am a visual person. If I am reading, I focus too much on what the words look like on the page, and where they are positioned on the page. Whatever I remember from my reading is most often connected to what I remember of the visual imprint in my mind.

When I listen, though, it allows my mind to imagine the scene, and absorb more of the story because I can "watch" what is happening. Today, I was listening to Luke, and came to chapter 16, the parable of the shrewd servant. I have never fully understood what it was about until this morning. It's about a wealthy man's business manager who is taking advantage and charging things for himself to the boss. So he gets fired, and has to give a full audit. While auditing the accounts, he calls the guys who owe the boss, and reduces their debt so that they will like him and might give him a job. But the boss is impressed that he was able to take care of himself, and praised him.

I feel like I understand this first part of the parable. But then Jesus says some stuff that I didn't get for the longest time. The NASB scripture says (v8 & 9) "for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. And I say unto you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings." What?

I had to listen to that line a few times. Those words don't make much sense to me. So I switched the version to the Message, Amplified, and then back to NASB. I even looked it up in my lexicon. Finally, the truth was emerging. I think that Jesus was saying is that streetwise people are more able to take care of themselves, win friends, and enjoy life than people who are stuffy, legalistic, and self-righteous. And that we should be cunning like them, and win friends by doing favors and giving them gifts instead of cramming rules and shame down their throats.

I know about rules and shame. I know that it made me depressed. And I know about gifts and favors, too. I don't know how many times I've enjoyed good food at a homegroup time, or gotten a ride when I needed one, or been given a gift, or been forgiven, or been loaned some cash. I am grateful for the goodness in all of those people's hearts. I want to keep this principle in my heart, and be more giving. I feel like I do ok at giving to friends, but I want to do better at giving to strangers, people I don't like, and people who some would say are "bad".

I don't think I want to go as far as witnessing to someone and then giving them a $10 bill. But maybe that kind of extreme surprise would win them over? Mostly, I want to be more willing and able to share the good news, as well as be less stingy about giving money/stuff. I want to be more aware of what it truly valuable.