1 Timothy 2:1–7, Psalm 113, and Luke 16:1–13
The parable of the Shrewd Manager in the Gospel of Luke is found only in the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel of Luke is particularly notable for its emphasis on recovering what was lost and on restoring previously marginalized groups. Another thing that I find very interesting is that there is a metaphor that deals with caution and wisdom about money. The shrewd manager is actually dishonest. At the same time, he worries about irresponsibly wasting his master’s possessions and losing his status. But an objective assessment of oneself is also accurate. This is verse 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” Yes. Now he ponders what he should do: debt forgiveness. He uses his authority to the fullest extent possible to forgive a certain percentage of the debts owed to the master. In this situation, which could be called a misuse of authority, the owner instead praises this manager. “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.” When he wasted his master’s possessions, he was judged by his master to be a dishonest manager. But now he is praised by his master for making friends and creating an eternal dwelling with his master’s wealth.
On the one hand, you might feel that Jesus’ parables and praise are a bit excessive. But here’s the critical point: Some psychologists even say that those who claim to have no desire for money can be the ones who are most greedy. I also have a passion for money. Our church is having a fundraising event this coming Saturday. I often think that it would be great if someone donated a million dollars to our church. However, if someone thinks about money too often, things like money and investments will take away their mind and nerves. So, some people are struggling these days by getting hooked on a virtual currency called Bitcoin. Of course, I think it’s okay if it doesn’t interfere with your daily life at all. But if you’re caught up in investing, casinos, and getting rich quickly, I think you’re now under the control of money. That soul is under the rule of capital, not the rule of God. That is why Jesus says in verse 13: “No one can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and money.” We cannot serve both God and money. So, Jesus’ core message is that money should be used well as a tool. When we use it wisely, like a wise manager, it makes our lives shine. But if we love money too much and become addicted to it, becoming a slave to it and putting money in the place of God, our life will be in crisis. So we are all familiar with the parable of the rich young ruler who turned away from Jesus because he served both God and money. So we must keep in mind the value of a wise life of faith.
Second, believers must live with prayer. Paul asks Timothy to pray for everyone. Praying for everyone means praying for the lives of all people living in the world. We must pray for their circumstances, needs, and problems. We live in a time when war has become a daily occurrence. Some countries use tariffs as a weapon to twist the wrists of neighboring countries. There is a country that is working hard to build nuclear weapons and aircraft carriers to become the next superpower. Many countries are losing their future because of drugs. There are countries where it is difficult to eat even one meal a day. Even now, some people cannot sleep because they hear the sound of missiles and attack drones flying. They need our prayers. We must support efforts to work through interdenominational organizations and governments that can provide more systematic assistance than we can.
For this, we must pray for kings and all those in authority. Only then may we live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. We must pray that the leaders of the world will fear God. If we fear business more than God and serve the idol called Mammon more than God, our community will face a great crisis. Why did the Apostle Paul ask us to pray for kings here? This is because the emperor of the Roman Empire forced the citizens to worship him. Before Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, emperor worship was the religion of the empire. Therefore, when a person refused to worship the emperor, they were executed. So, the believers at that time thought of the emperor as the Antichrist and a force of Satan. So it was natural to pray for the emperor and local vassals who persecuted Christians at the time. Because their repentance to God was a vital missionary task. The authorities in high positions were also hostile to Christianity. However, because they decide important policies, they are included in the prayer list.
What’s interesting is that while the Gospel of Luke, up until now, has focused on the lost, the marginalized, and the vulnerable in society, the book of Timothy focuses on kings, leaders, and the powerful. Why is that? The reason is in verse 4. The reason is that God wants all people to be saved. God loved us so much that he sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to be the mediator between God and humanity. It is difficult for us to become like the Lord in ransom. But we, too, can become people of prayer, mediators, like Jesus. For this reason, He called us every day. He asked us to pray and take action.
Beloved, let us approach God in prayer, discerning the affairs of this world with wisdom. I hope that we can look around us, pray for the world, and spread love. Amen.