“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 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 16:8-9

            When you read this parable, Jesus seemed to applaud a dishonest manager who, thinking he’s going to lose his job, gives his master’s debtors deep discounts on their debts so, if he’s fired, he could go and work for them.  You think…how could the manager misuse his master’s funds for personal gain?

            Yet, the master in the story commends the dishonest manger for thinking shrewdly, thinking through the situation.  Jesus told his followers to also think shrewdly and come up with creative ways in reaching this world.  He acknowledged the manager as “dishonest,” but said look at the way the world problem solves.  The church needs to think through these things and be tactful.  Jesus did not ask the church to sin, but to shrewdly, creatively and thoughtfully reach the world.