Devotion 

The Unjust Manager

Frances Taylor 

We all know the story of the unjust servant. He had been stealing from his master and now he'd been caught. He decided to ingratiate himself with those who owed his master money so they would take care of him after he lost his job. His master commended him on his worldly wisdom, what today we might call "street smarts." But dishonesty has a price. It is very hard for someone to trust those who are dishonest. The person who robs a bank, or embezzles money, probably stole from a parent of shoplifted first. People who are dishonest start out early, a few lies, a piece of candy stolen from a store, something minor, then they progress. Acquiring money can get to be a habit, as the parable of the dishonest manager points out. People often misquote the saying, "The love of money is the root of all evil." They say, "Money is the root of all evil." Money itself is not the problem; it's the love of money. There are those who put money above family or friends, even above God. They have made money a god. Jesus concludes this passage with two statements that we need to pay attention to. "No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You aren't able to serve God and Mammon." Greed is a terrible disease and has led men and women to do terrible things in pursuit of it. Money does not buy happiness, but the love of God does. We need to continue to follow the way of Jesus with truth and fidelity.

Prayer 

Thank you Lord for pointing out the path we need to follow to achieve true riches, and with it, happiness. Amen.