One of the purposes of the parables is to take the theory away from Biblical truth and relate it to everyday life. Such is the case in the Parable of the Shrewd Manager. At first glance it appears that Jesus is affirming the behavior of the crocked manager. What we learn however, is that Jesus isn’t praising his dishonesty, but affirming him for being opportunistic. He had a limited time before his manager returned. We have a limited amount of time before Jesus comes back. He will ask us to give an account for how we’ve managed the responsibilities entrusted to us. What we learn is that God owns everything, that we are managers, not owners and that should be freeing to us.
