Shrewdness Under Pressure

Daily Office Devotional, Thursday, May 27, 2021

The week of Pentecost

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrase for reflection in today’s reading:

8And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly

Today we celebrate the Feast of the First Book of Common Prayer. (See below.)

Daily Office Lectionary readings

AM Psalm 37:1-18; PM Psalm 37:19-42

Deuteronomy 4:32-40; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18; Luke 16:1-9

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Office Gospel, Luke 16:1-9

16:1Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2So he summoned him and said to him, “What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.” 3Then the manager said to himself, “What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.” 5So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, “How much do you owe my master?” 6He answered, “A hundred jugs of olive oil.” He said to him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.” 7Then he asked another, “And how much do you owe?” He replied, “A hundred containers of wheat.” He said to him, “Take your bill and make it eighty.” 8And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

David’s Reflections

Our English translators of today’s Gospel made a decision to interpret in translating verse 8. Our translation reads “His master commended the dishonest

steward.” The original Greek text simply reads “The Lord commended. . . “ That leaves us wondering which lord, the steward’s or ours? Did his boss commend his

shrewdness in the moment or is Jesus commending it in the telling of the parable? Our translators have, and I think correctly, chosen the former option.

Some persons off stage had slandered this manager to his owner and the owner summarily dismissed him without giving him the chance to answer the charges. Was he incompetent? Or, was he dishonest? Or both? We do not know the charges? Nor do we know the identity of those making them. Were they competitors? Were they people with designs on that job for themselves? Were they merchants who owed the owner and were looking for a favor?

Those backstage machinations result in the owner dismissing his manager. The manager knew that he would not survive becoming a manual laborer. He could not possibly keep pace with the peasants conditioned to that labor in that climate. Nor was he willing to beg. His solution—ingratiate himself to some of the merchants by eliminating the hidden interest from their debts to the owner. (Jewish law forbade charging interest, so it simply was folded into the principle.) Perhaps he was trying to impress the owner as well and salvage his job.

It may well be that the owner found his manager’s shrewdness a humorous and positive behavior. His response may well have been a chuckle and a “He got me.” The manager had shown forethought and shrewdness; and, by reducing the debts had done positive public relations work for his boss with the clients. How ironic, funny, and fitting, if in the untold postlude, the manager got his old job back.

We often find ourselves exposed to back stage machinations not dissimilar to those of this manager’s adversaries. In our presence, people pass on negative comments about the behavior and beliefs of others. (Those same people may be passing on to those they maligned in our presence similar negative comments about us as well.)

This parable warns us to be wary of changing our thinking or behavior on the basis of second or third hand information of that kind. It also warns us not to add to the flow of backstage data by initiating or passing on such negative information to others.

Collect of the Day: Pentecost Sunday

Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the

earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 228)

Today we celebrate the Feast of the First Book of Common Prayer, 1549 CE.

http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/BCP.htm

Collect of the Feast of the First Book of Common Prayer

Almighty and everliving God, who, through the Book of Common Prayer restored the language of the people in the prayers of your Church: Make us always thankful for this heritage; and help us so to pray in the Spirit and with the understanding, that we may worthily magnify your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Protection

O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night. Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (BCP, 124)

For Peace

Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in tranquility your dominion may increase until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 258)

A Prayer for Light

Lighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord; and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, Jesus Christ, Amen. (BCP, 111)

A Collect for Mission

O God, you manifest in your servants the signs of your presence: Send forth upon us the spirit of love, that in companionship with one another your abounding grace may increase among us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 125)