By The Rev. Bernard W. Poppe, Rector
Some parables are easier than others to figure out. Last week we had the relatively easy lost sheep and coin. This week we have the not-so-easy Dishonest Steward.
One of the things that makes this parable so unsettling is that Jesus appears to praise the shenanigans of the dishonest steward and encourage us to do likewise. Even the logic of the stewards trickery eludes me. Surely the rich man who goes over the confiscated ledgers will know that he was owed one amount from each of the borrowers and that the amount had been lowered. It then occurred to me that it might be similar to the offer that credit card companies give. If a person is significantly behind in their payments, they can settle for a lesser amount if they pay it in full. In this way it would appear that the credit company makes something back rather than losing it all. Perhaps the dishonest steward made a similar judgment in lowering the amounts.
Also, notice that he never refutes the allegations of mismanagement in the first place. I must say that was refreshing, for someone who didn't do the job well to admit it. We live in a culture of denial and deflection. I'll credit the dishonest steward with at least a little bit of honesty in that regard!
The best sense I can make of this parable is how Jesus uses human behavior to make a point. The Gospels always present Jesus as a shrewd judge of character, one who see through smoke screens and can make a spiritual lesson out of anything. This might just be the case. When he needed to, the unjust Steward became creative and efficient. If he had demonstrated these qualities earlier, there would have been no problem. Now that's human nature.
How many parents have told their children that if they put the same effort into their homework as they do trying to get out of it, they would have been finished? How many times has my procrastination come back to haunt me and when I finally have to do the task I realize I could already have done it. You may have similar stories of your own. Avoidance is a terrible waste of time and gets in the way of accomplishing good things. But we do it. And then like the unjust steward, when the chips are down, get to work.
While avoidance and procrastination is part of the parable, the deals that get made in order to provide a safe landing are another. All the others sign onto the dishonest stewards' plan, making them in effect just as dishonest as he was. Accessories to the crime, as it were. Again, creative and efficient. The praise of the rich man for the whole scheme is a real puzzle as well.
In a spiritual way, I think and I hope, that the point Jesus made was to acknowledge the creativity and drive rather than praise the goals of those who behaved so dishonestly. There have been many examples of unjust stewards in the news these past few years - people who have brilliantly circumvented the law and totally disregarded any moral compass to achieve goals of acquiring money, power or prestige. Despite the horrendous damage done, there is an objective case that can be made for the ingenuity involved. If those same people had applied their ingenuity to legal ways of bettering the lives of the people they purported to be serving, what an amazing world we would live in.
If everyone in positions of power and authority were honest for just one year, the world would be transformed. But it is not so. Perhaps this is what Jesus was lamenting as well by musing that the children of light should be as crafty as the dishonest if we are to move ahead.
In the context of our lessons, there is a sense of the responsibility of leadership that arises. Amos looks at the corruption of business practices in his day increasing the suffering of the poor. The Epistle encourages people to pray for their leaders to make good decisions that promote peace and justice. In another place in the Gospels Jesus says, to whom much is given, much is required. The benefits that we have, whether through our own ingenuity or luck of the draw or inheritance, can be used simply for our own comfort, or it can be used as an opportunity to serve others.
This is our Homecoming Sunday. As we return our focus to the ministry here we do so in the comfort of beautiful buildings and a reasonably comfortable cash flow. In a day when churches are closing or merging due to lack of income, we are in a strong position despite our challenges and wrestling with the deficit. We could use all these assets for our own comfort and close the doors to any outside need. But we don't do that. We open our doors to other groups and agencies that share a compatible mission with ours. Groups that enhance the lives of children, 12 step and bereavement groups, educational and cultural groups, events that witness to social justice. We have been given much from generations of faithful St. Georgians and we're doing our part by using these resources responsibly, generously and creatively. Needs and resources will continually change with each passing year and good stewardship is a moving target. But Jesus's teachings that if we keep our eye on God's service and justice that the rest will take care of itself.
As a community we work with this and as a community we remind ourselves and witness to others that our common faith calls us to step out in service to others as a way of demonstrating our commitment to God and ourselves.
In the prayer attributed to St. Francis, there is a line that says, "For it is in giving that we receive..." We grow spiritually and deepen in humanity when we use our personal and communal gifts for the good of others and in God's service.
I once had lunch with a new member of a church I served who said it was time for her to get more involved in the life of the parish. I thought "Great, you'll get no argument from me!" Through sighs and thoughtful frowns, she listed the activities she thought she could consider. I was struck by the painful prospect this was becoming. She settled on one and wondered what I thought. I said I think that would be a terrible mistake. She was a bit surprised since that wasn't my part of anticipated script. Rather, I said, "Lets' look at your talents and passions." As we explored those and how they might be used to generate a new program in the church, she lit right up and started to feel energized. God gave us gifts and talents to be used. And in using them we become more alive than if we had not.
St. George's has a long tradition of strong lay leadership, and leadership has responsibility. Among those, it seems to me are authenticity and determination. Any one who expresses a desire to serve, must do so from a love of God that inspires service and then discern the gifts they have and how they can best be utilized in the service of others. It's exciting and challenging and can be scary at times. But it brings us life and abundant life.
On this Homecoming Sunday I hope we all renew our commitment to God and to this wonderful place where we have come to know God better in the fellowship of other seekers. In a world with so many creative dishonest stewards, we need all the creative honest stewards we can find! Be that and more in God's love and service. Amen.
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