“The children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.”
Luke 16: 1 – 8.
The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. His dishonesty notwithstanding, the steward’s response to being denounced is something to note.
The dishonest steward did two noteworthy things. The first was his immediate reaction to being discovered. He did not try to justify it or explain it away or blame someone else. He accepted his part in the matter and faced up to the charge. The second was his befriending the people around him when the thought of a laborious life hit him.
Followers of Jesus must take responsibility for their actions no matter how difficult or embarrassing. Doing anything else only makes the matter worse. They must also recognise that friendship is one of the greatest values. The steward quickly realized that having friends was more valuable than having opportunities to get rich.
The steward’s astuteness, for which he was praised, was his courage to make positive changes in his life. He acknowledged his error, and he changed his relationships. We can learn from that.