We continue with the parable of the dishonest steward from Luke's gospel.
Then Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.' Then the manager said to himself, 'What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. (Luke 16:1-3) I have decided what to do when so that, people may welcome me into their homes.' So summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' He answered, 'A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.' then he asked another, ''And how much do you owe?' He replied, 'A hundred containers of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill and make it eighty.' (Luke 16:4-7)
At this point in the story, even though this manager has now acted in an unethical manner again, everyone should do well. The debtors have all received a "break" of approximately the same worth of product. The rich man, though losing some of his income, will be seen by all as a benevolent person - almost beyond expectation. The manager, moving quickly to get it all done, has a village of people for whom he will appear to be a friend. Remember from yesterday...this all comes out of a window of a sliver of grace when the rich man does not fire the manager immediately but lets him go and put the "books" in order. In that bit of time...right now...without waiting...in the face of an unknown future, the manager acts within that "grace period." Ah...isn't that what we are all given even now...a "grace period." Isn't the time at hand the time of the Reign of God already breaking in upon us and yet there is opportunity at hand to live as though we are betting our lives on this grace of God that is wider and higher and deeper than all things? Now is the time to live within the realm of God's grace - now...without hesitation - now...for the benefit of all you could say.
Connection: The other day our plane took off and as we were beginning to rise over Columbus, the fire alarm started going off and smoke started coming out into the cabin. Obviously, we were told we were returning to Columbus. A bit of an anxious moment...made more precarious by an awkward landing and the appearance of fire trucks and ambulances. We live today in the domain of grace - how will it go for you - how will this grace of our God shape the time at hand?
By your grace, O God, we are pulled into a life becomes your a witness to your grace. By your grace we are given the opportunity to live within a blessed time. Encourage us to consider the wealth of this time and live boldly within its domain. Amen.
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