Plan Your Heavenly Future
- Deacon Dan DeLuca
- Nov 4, 2022
- 6 min read
Planning, it is a part of life. We plan out our days, weeks, years, and some aspects of our entire lives. When we prepare to undertake a task, we often have a plan for how are going to approach that task. Sports coahces have a game plan for how they want to approach a match. We plan so much of our lives. Yet, how many of us have a heavenly plan? That is to say, how many of us have sat down, examined our lives and where we are spritually, and developed a plan to grow in holliness, to grow in our relationship with Christ? I would imagine most of us would say we spend far more time on earthly plabns than we do heavenly plans yet there is no more important plan to prepare. As you read the Parable of the Dishonest Manager, ask for the wisdom needed to plan your heavenly future.
The Parable of the Dishonest Manager
He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ And the steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest steward for his prudence; for the sons of this world are wiser in their own generation than the sons of light. Luke 16 : 1-8
Scriptural Analysis
Jesus again turns to his disciples and continued his instruction. However, the Pharisees are still close by. Jesus’s main focus will now be on the proper use of wealth. The first of two parables he uses to instruct is the parable of the dishonest steward. This particular parable is unique to Luke’s Gospel.
In his last address to his disciples Jesus spoke about a faithful and prudent steward, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?” (Luke 12:42) In effect he continues that theme here in a parable about a prudent, all be it dishonest, steward. All though it is not part of this passage, Jesus will address the dishonesty of the steward.
This parable has been interpreted in several different ways. The steward, accused of squandering his master’s wealth, has been compared to the prodigal son who squandered his inheritance. The Greek word, diaskorpizein, translated as squandered, is the exact same word used in the story of the prodigal son. The difference is that the son was considered lost and dead whereas the steward ends up being commended. This commending leads some to believe that the steward was falsely accused since being rich is not usually presented as an attractive quality in Luke’s Gospel. However, the text does not support such a conclusion. When told to give an account the steward does not defend himself or argue that he was falsely accused and although commended he was still called dishonest.
Additionally, the steward is not an attractive character in this parable. Unlike the prodigal son, the steward does not express sorrow or repentance when planning his next move. He imitates the rich fool asking what shall I do, “and he thought to himself, What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my croregarduke 12:17) He develops a self-centered plan that relies on his own cunning.
One line of thinking suggests that his plan to reduce the amount owed by his master’s debtors, had no impact upon the master as the steward was simply eliminating his cut or the interest on the debt. Charging interest was widely practiced although the law forbid it, “You shall not lend him your money at interest.” (Leviticus 25:37). However, there again is no evidence in the text to support this conclusion. Additionally, the 100 percent or 25 percent rate he would have to be charging to make the math in the parable work is random. Neither does it match with the historical record that supports a standard 50 percent interest rate on commodities. Also, the speed with which the steward settles these accounts indicates he is cheating his master. Such as argument about the steward plan is motivated hisa desire to paint the steward as law-abiding. However, it does not address the fact that the steward is still called dishonest and his dishonesty is central to the prable.
The steward is dishonest: there can be no debate about that. Yet he is commended for acting prudently. Jesus is going to make another argument from lesser to greater. If the dishonest steward, when asked to give an account, is prudent enough to plan his earthly future to ensure he receives welcome in the homes of his master’s debtors, then how much more should the faithful and prudent stewards of the Lord, who will one day have to give an account to God, plan their heavenly future so they are welcomed into their eternal home. Sadly, Jesus points out how the children of this world are much more prudent in practice than the children of light. Saint Augustine sums up this parable the best, “He was insuring himself for a life that was going to end. Would you not insure yourself for eternal life?” (Sermon 359)
Daily Application
The dishonest steward found himsamidt of a problem. His poor handleing of his master’s resources was uncoivered by the master. Knowing that he would be unable to provide an account for his behavior, he knew that his time as the steward was coming to an end. Unable to provide for himself any other way, he took quick action to ensure that his future, upon losing his position as steward, was secured.
We too are like the steward. One day, we will be called to give an account, an account of how we used this life. While we don’t know the hour or the day, we do know with absolute certainty that our time on this earth will come to an end. Given that knowledge, are we preparing to give an account? Are we looking at how we are using the gift that God has given us so that we can provide not just an account, but an account that will result in us being called a good and faithful steward as opposed to a dishonest steward?
Most of us likely plan our earthly futures quite well. We try to ensure we have enough food on hand, and gas in the car. If we are visting relatives for the holidays, we likely have that planned out well in advance. This is any number of earthly affairs we plan out on a daily basis. How much effort do we put into planning our heavenly affairs? Do we plan for a future in heaven?
Of course, none of us know our eternal destination so when I say we need to plan for a future in heaven, what I mean is we need to look at our lives and see if they align with what JEsus has taught us is the narrow path that leads to heaven. Are we making time to pray daily? Are we ensuring attending Mass is of the higest important? Do we live the Beattitudes. Do we love God with all of our whole heart, and with our whole being, and with our whole strength, and do we love our neighbor as ourself? Those are the important question. Those are the pressing issues that we need to look at and plan for. For it these things we will have to give an account for. Let us ask God for the wisdom and resolve to examin these areas and lay out a plan for our heavenly future.
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