This is an interesting parable... I actually like it a lot. It doesn't fit the in our Christian bubble. It is rough and jagged and if you try to handle it with bare hands it will likely cut you. That my friends is life. Rarely does it fit our neat and ordered guidelines. Rarely does it brush up against you softly.
The parable, if I can sum it up for you, is one where an owner calls to account his manager because he finds he is wasting his possessions. The manager is called to account and told, 'you cannot be manager any longer' (verse 2). Then the manager says to himself, "what shall I do now? I am losing my job I am not fit for work and I am ashamed to beg." Then he devises a plan to help him through this predicament. He calls debtors of his master to him and reduces their debts, thinking, "when I lose my job here these people will welcome me into their houses" (verse 4).
The master then praises the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. Then says this line, "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwelling" (verse 9). Then Jesus goes on to say, "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money" (verse 13).
Now you see why this is a rough parable? It isn't commending a righteous man for doing righteous things. It is actually praising a crook for being wise with money like all believers had ought to be. Do not loose the heart of this because of the character flaws. The man was a bad and shady man and he acted in an dishonorable way, but he put his resources to work to help better his situation. We need to learn as believers to put our resources to work. We need to see that money can be a snare to us that holds us back like a restraint from God. We should instead employ our money to gain for us an eternal inheritance. "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20-21). And Jesus wants to emphasize how big of a hindrance this can be. In verse 13 he says "Money" capital M showing that Money can be your master. Lots of so called "Christians" are actually serving that master and not the real Master. Who are you serving? Do you actually spend your money like you have eternity in a dwelling with God? Or, more realistically do you spend your money like you are staying here for awhile? More pointedly, are you making strides towards Christ with your career choice or are you picking subjects that lend themselves towards a bigger paycheck? Do you spend your time sowing into the kingdom work or sowing into your work? "If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? (verse 12)" Put your money to work gaining you an eternal dwelling. Let me take it a step further... you should actually dislike money. I think being poor puts you in a much better relationship to God. Dependence on God is a great thing that we all are leaning on but so many are fooled by their riches to think otherwise. "Be devoted to God and despise [money] (verse 13).
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