Being Shrewd

This coming Sunday's lectionary reading is based on Luke 16:1-15. It is a very interesting story where Jesus tells about a shrewd manager of his boss' estate. In the story, Jesus explains how the shrewd manager defrauded his boss; when the boss finds out, he calls for an audit and fires the manager. Right before the manager leaves, he calls in some of the clients he was managing in order to trade favors with them. He tells the clients that he'll reduce what they owe his boss if they'll take care of him later (probably by providing networking contacts and the like).

Jesus, whom you'd think would chastise the shrewd manager, instead offers him as an example to the godly. Jesus said, "I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven." (NLT).

As I am trying to piece together a sermon for Sunday, my eyes are drawn to the Pharisees who respond to Jesus in v.15 by scoffing at him. Jesus, as I am thinking, may have included these Pharisees when he was telling his story. For after the story is complete and the Pharisees begin ridiculing him; then Jesus turns to them and says that God knows their evil hearts because what they honor is an abomination to God. It makes me think that perhaps, in this story, Jesus was patronizing the Pharisees by praising the shrewd man at one point, and then, chastizing him at another. This trick, if it indeed was a trick, must have threw the Pharisees off at first and this angered them.

I looked up the greek word for ridicule and learned it was the word, ekmukterizo, which means to show contempt. In my mind, ridicule has a playground mentality where kids tease other kids. But to show contempt is worse because it has anger in it. This makes me think that the Pharisees were ticked off that Jesus was patronizing them. Why is this important?

I wonder if Jesus is saying that the godly folks need to be less "nice" and more intentional when they go about living in the world. Being more intentional means we realize our responsibilities to our families and ourselves. It also means that we react and live accordingly--not allowing others to walk over us. We are to wisely manage our affairs and know we are responsible for them rather than throwing our coins in the air and saying, "God you can manage my money, I will simply sit back and let you do it."

Jesus has reminded us elsewhere to be shrewd as serpents and yet, innocent as doves (Matt 10:16, NAS); the NLT translation renders this passage, "Be as wary as snakes and harmless as doves." In either way, shrewdness is called for, just in a way that is honorable to God. Whether we are innocent or harmless, we are to be compassionate, kind, and honest in our dealings.

I am still twirling the idea of being effectively shrewd. I am not nearly as shrewd as I am frugal- and there is a huge difference, I know. However, I do think frugal is in the family of the shrewd. My boyfriend buys $300 jeans and $80 t-shirts from Diesel (he's got a whole lot more moolah than I). I buy a package of 6 t-shirts for $14.99 from K-Mart. He buys enough t-shirts that the stores often give him huge discounts; K-Mart doesn't treat me like that. He can barter with a travel agency and save hundreds of dollars on his trips (he travels alot); I buy my airline tickets through CheapTickets.com; sometimes I save but I don't get any frills. My boyfriend is shrewd; and I am trying to be, only when I try such tactics, I am only being frugal.

What does it mean to be shrewd as a serpent? I looked up on the internet about being shrewd and found this book, The Shrewd Christian, by Neil Atkinson. I am curious about it and will hop over to Barnes and Nobles to see if they have it. Perhaps it'll be helpful while compiling and organizing the sermon. Or, perhaps I just need more snakes in my wallet. I dunno.