On Serving God through Wealth

Proper 20, Year C
 
Jeremiah 8:18-9:1                       or         Amos 8:4-7
Psalm 79:1-9                   or         Psalm 113
1 Timothy 2:1-7                                     
Luke 16:1-13
 
 
On Serving God through Wealth
 
There seems to be some disagreement among commentators, or at least uncertainty, surrounding the Gospel lesson for this Sunday.  I think it's OK to have some uncertainty, as this leads to good discussion and perhaps some new insights into this living scripture. 
 
Jesus tells a story about a rich man and the rich man's money manager, who has been accused of mismanagement.  Out of concern for his future, the manager plans to make friends with those who owe money to the rich man, so he gives them a break on their debt.  In this way, if the manager loses his job, he may be able to count on some of those debtors for support.
 
When I compare translations of this lesson, and consider that even the translators may have been a bit confused about this story, I end up with this as a plausible explanation:
 
The rich man is indeed a symbol of God – for who can be richer in what is valued most?  And the money manager is, well, you and me and everyone else.  We are managing some amount of God's riches, whoever we are, and whether it be money, or shaping the lives of our children, or in helping a friend or neighbor. 
 
We note from the reading that charges were brought against the money manager – it doesn't say that the charges were valid or proven, it just says that the money manager was being accused of mismanagement.  And who is the complainant?  Could it be that ol' Accuser himself, the devil?  He would like to get everyone in trouble.  Perhaps it was someone acting on his behalf.
 
God, the rich man, is telling the manager that his time is up, and soon he can no longer be a manager.  God is asking for an accounting of this person's business; his life.  Perhaps the manager is being called home to God, and must now provide a record of how he lived. 
 
The manager knows his time is running out, that his "position is being taken away."  So, with the knowledge that his life is coming to an end, he realizes that he must as much good as he can before the end comes.  Under his authority as money manager, he goes out and begins to forgive the debtors of some of their debt.  It's an act of kindness that not only relieves the debtors of some of their monetary burden, but also, he hopes, paves the way for God to forgive him.
 
The rich man, when he learned of this, wasn't mad that he wouldn't be collecting all that was owed to him, but instead commended the accused manager for his shrewdness.  (Some translations read "dishonest manager," but we have to remember that he wasn't convicted, only accused.)  The rich man was pleased that there was some forgiveness happening; he considered forgiveness to be more valuable than collecting his due. 
 
Jesus reinforced the story by adding, "Make friends of those oppressed by unfair financial burdens, so that when this life is over, they may be able to help you in the next."  His point was that the rich can help the poor in this age, and then the poor can help the rich in the age to come.   
 
Jesus went on to explain that the action of the money manager shouldn't be done out of fear of God, but out of the love for God's creation and all His children.  He warned us that we cannot serve both the love of God and the love of money – these are incompatible.  We will "either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other."
 
Jesus often spoke out against financial oppression; the use of power and influence to gain more wealth by oppressing others.  Amos 8, one of the alternative readings for this day, describes this very well: "Hear this, you that trample on the needy, bringing to ruin the poor of the land, and say 'we will overcharge for the sale, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals...'  Surely, says the Lord, I will never forget any of their deeds."
 
Remember, however, there is nothing wrong with wealth.  It can be a good thing if acquired properly, and used wisely.  Wealth can be the impetus for positive change in this world, and often is.  But it can also be abused just as easily.  It all depends on where one's heart is, because that's where one's treasure is, too.
 
Paul sums it up well in his letter to Timothy when he writes, "God our Savior desires everyone to awaken to his truth."  It is truth of love and wholeness, not of threat or retribution. It is a truth of healing and unity, not of division and spite.