May 2 | Luke 16:1-15

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DAILY READING

Luke 16:1-15

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REFLECTION

The Wise and Godly Manager

by Kristin Schoeff

Jesus truly was a master storyteller, and he used his parables to teach the crowds who came to hear him. Often, his point may seem clear to us, but at times, the parables of Jesus are puzzling – even baffling. Reading and studying this parable of the dishonest steward, I learned that many people consider it to be the most difficult to understand of all the parables recorded in the Gospels. That has always been my take on it as well!

But don’t you love the fact that Jesus’ disciples, when they couldn’t understand his meaning, came to him in private and said, “Explain to us the parable….”? (Matthew 13:36)  His disciples asked him “Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?” and he answered, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.” (Matthew 13:11)

So as we read today’s passage and its odd seeming commendation of the Dishonest (ESV), Shrewd (NIV) Manager, let’s come and ask Jesus what mysteries of the kingdom he wants to teach us through it.

As I’ve studied and reflected on this, I’ve definitely come to the conclusion that Jesus’ point was NOT to commend dishonesty, but rather to teach those who follow him about the wise use of money and material goods that have been entrusted to us by our Lord and Master. After telling the story, Jesus immediately made it personal: “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:9)

What a stark contrast: the shrewd and dishonest manager manipulated the accounts of those who owed his master so that when he ran out of money, those whom he had helped would welcome him into their homes. (Luke 16:4) But Jesus told his followers to use their wealth to win friends (and many commentaries consider this to be at least in part by investing in Gospel work, winning people to Christ), so that when the day comes when our lives on earth are finished and money no longer is of use to us, we can rejoice as we enter our heavenly home, as we’ve made it our true treasure.

Jesus concludes his lesson by letting us know how very important it is to our Lord how we handle our money and the other things he’s blessed us with. After all, he is our master who has entrusted these things to us to manage, and he states that if we’re faithful with very little, he can trust us with much, and he can entrust to us true riches, which won’t rust, be stolen, or become moth-eaten, for they are the blessings of life forever in his presence.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, we receive your challenge to be faithful even in the small things in this life and in the use of the resources you’ve blessed us with. Speak to our hearts and guide us in how we can share our abundance to your glory. In your precious name we pray, Amen.

May 1 | Proverbs 1:1-7

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DAILY READING

Proverbs 1:1-7

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REFLECTION

Generous Re-imagination

by Katie Borden

Ah, proverbs. Those catchy little educational phrases–from the non-Biblical (“an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”) to the Biblical (Prov. 4:23 “guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”), to the hilarious-yet-somehow-still-Biblical (one of my personal favorites: Prov. 26:11 “as a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly”).

We can be tempted to see these adages as little one-off sayings that intersect with one tiny slice of lived experience and inform our actions in that particular context. But the words of our passage today, which act as the prologue to the rest of the book of Proverbs, might imply that the Biblical book of succinct phrases serves an even more overarching purpose for us: God intends to offer us wisdom, not just knowledge. Wisdom is often thought of as the sound insight or judgment that comes from lived experience. I suspect that’s why we often think of being both “older and wiser” as a package deal.

However, I don’t think Scripture intends to tell us we should be better people by living more wisely because of lived experience and catchy phrases–although these Proverbs can shape us in our character and help us know what is “right and just and fair” (v.3). As the Holy Spirit works in our hearts, we are granted a truer, more paradigm-altering wisdom that comes from God. When we come “face to face” with God’s unfathomable grace and love, our hearts are changed and our imaginations transformed to capture a new vision of what life might be like when lived in the way God intends for life to be, both for us as individuals and as a community.

As we are shaped in wisdom and our imaginations change, I suspect the way we desire to spend our lives, our energy, our time, and yes, even our money, changes. Our generous God instills a new, better, more beautiful vision in our minds and hearts for what life can look like, and so what might look like foolish spending to others is, to our reinvigorated imaginations, a worthy investment poured freely into the flourishing kingdom of God for the good of his creation and for his glory. Lord, may it be so!

PRAYER

God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, continue to create in me a new heart and shape within me a new imagination for what life can look like in the glory and goodness of your kingdom. Train my heart to live life in your way, in your presence. Amen.

April 30 | Luke 15:11-24

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DAILY READING

Luke 15:11-24

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REFLECTION

The Riches a Loving Family Provides

by Julie Ogg

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is familiar to many of us. It’s so familiar we may have lost sight of the amazing freedom offered by Jesus in this parable. It’s important to remember that the question that prompted the telling of the three “lost” parables stems from Jesus’ response to the muttering of the religious leaders.

Luke 15:1-2 reads, "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear him.

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'" Jesus’ response to that apparent accusation was to tell the Parable of the Lost Sheep, Coin, and Son. Each parable relates the pain of losing something precious and the joy of finding it. Let’s consider the prodigal son.

This younger son is obviously out of line. He shows great disrespect to his father by asking for his inheritance while his father is still living. In Jewish culture at this time, it would similar to saying, “I wish you were dead, so I could have what is coming to me." Not only that, but after he had received his inheritance, he left his father’s household and set off for a far country. Jesus'

audience would have found this gasp-worthy—an abhorrent affront.

The younger son did not fare well with his new situation. Everything he thought would bring him freedom and happiness failed him as he realized that life with his father, even as a servant, would be better than his current life. He decided to return home and fall on the mercy of his father.

Verse 20 contains a remarkable scene. Remember, Jesus is describing what the Kingdom of God is like to people who had just complained about his welcome of sinners. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."

This is Jesus’ welcome to the sinner who returns. This is his welcome to each of us who return again and again after expecting something or someone other than a relationship with Jesus to bring us freedom.

The father in this account is eagerly watching for his son’s return. He saw him coming while he was still a long way off. Our heavenly Father is watching for our return. As A. W. Tozer writes in his book, The Pursuit of God, “Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.”

Titus 3:4-7 reads, "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." Take joy this day in knowing that you are loved by a compassionate and gracious Father who forgives and renews us day after day. Come home!

PRAYER

Dear Lord,

Help us recognize that wealth isn't worth giving up family. There is freedom in the loving comfort Jesus provides. Loving family will welcome and forgive us our foolish ways. Just as Jesus does. Amen.