The Unjust Steward

Gospel: Luke 16: 1-13

This man finds himself in a difficult situation of his own making.  He has not been a good steward of the owners affairs, and he now finds himself on the brink of expulsion from his position.  He lacks the ability to undertake manual labor, and his pride does not enable him to ask for the assistance of others.  So, the steward does the one thing he knows how to do: he devises a scheme such that others will be indebted to him and they will provide for his needs when the time comes.

This unjust steward knows that others are in debt to his master.  So he calls each one into his office and cancels a portion of the debt they owe.  Mind you, the amounts these people owe are quite staggering, but even to ease the burden some is a great benefit to them.  This man forgives the debts of others - a good thing to be sure - but he does so for the wrong reasons.  He forgives the debt to secure his own advantage, not because debts ought to be forgiven and mercy shown to those unable to pay.  

Do we not see ourselves in this man? We have been bad stewards of God's business.  We are on the brink of expulsion, and so we bargain with God.  We forgive the debts of others, but why are we doing so? We seek our own advantage.  But the business of God is precisely in the forgiveness of debts, so that others might benefit and have their burden eased.  Let us, then, become a just steward, and forgive as we have been forgiven, as others deserve and need to be forgiven.