In every culture, we’re drawn to do good. Yet Jesus reminds us that our works lose their meaning when they become monuments to our own name rather than a response to God’s grace. The Pharisee in the parable shows how self-trust and comparison can distort even good practices, while the tax collector reveals the hope found in depending entirely on God’s mercy. We often forget that grace is what begins every good work in us—and when righteousness becomes our personal ambition, it quietly separates us from both God and others. The way forward is through daily confession and a humble return to God, trusting His righteousness—not ours—as the true source of any lasting good.

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Scripture: Luke 18:9–14 (NRSV)

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” 13 But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’

This Sunday, we’ll explore the parable of the shrewd manager. In the parable, a manager uses all the resources available to him before losing his job to secure a comfortable future—employing clever, though questionable, methods along the way. Jesus urges us to be shrewd managers as well, because like the manager in the parable, we all have “mammon”—the resources we depend on apart from God, such as money, work, or status. If we use our mammon only for ourselves, we may gain worldly rewards but miss out on heavenly treasure. Instead, Jesus calls us to use our shrewdness in service to God’s kingdom. Then, like the manager, we’ll be preparing for our future—but unlike him, the wealth we build will last forever.

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Scripture: Luke 16:1-9

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

16 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

6 “‘Nine hundred gallons[a] of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels[b] of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

8 “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. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.