Friday, November 07, 2014

Paint Party Friday: The Dishonest Steward

 "Rejoice with me because I have found 
the coin that I lost." Luke 15:9
In the 15th chapter of Luke, we have parables 
of the lost sheep, lost coin and a lost son. 
The sheep is wandering in the wilderness, in danger. 
The coin was misplaced, it's just in 
the home of a woman who searches high and low for it. 
The prodigal son actually chooses to be lost.
Whatever way we or someone we love is lost, 
Jesus shows us through these stories, 
that even if we are lost in the wilderness, 
out of the church, or lost within the church, 
and even if we choose to rebel against God, 
He will turn on the lamp and search high and low for us. 
And like the Father, will wait for us longingly, eagerly.
It's a crazy love God has for us. 
Even if others give up on us, God will not. 
Even if we are filthy and heavy (with sin) like 
the sheep in the wilderness, Jesus will carry us. 
And every time, God celebrates 
when we come back to Himself!

 "His master praised the dishonest manager 
for acting shrewdly and prudently; 
for the sons of men are shrewder and more prudent 
and wiser in relation to their own generation 
than are the sons of light." Luke 16:8

Whaaaat?!!!  This is a complicated, confusing story! 
Why is Jesus telling a parable about a 
dishonest manager being commended by 
his master, his boss, for being shrewd???

Recently in our business there has been 
a rash of dishonest employees. 
They each found ingenuous ways of stealing money. 
And in a way I can relate to the boss in the story 
and can say, "Wow! These employees really used their talents, 
their brains, their creativity to 
find a way to get what they wanted!"  
If only they used their God-given 
abilities and gifts for something good! 

And I think this is partly what Jesus is saying in this parable. 
We should use our time, talent and treasure to do good, 
to gain friends, to build the Kingdom of Heaven, 
and to have treasure there! 
We should be shrewder, wiser, and more prudent 
than worldly men who rule this world with impunity. 
And we have God at our side to do it! 

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Patsy

3 comments:

  1. Always your posts are inspirational and beautiful. Today you gave me a new thought with "Even if we are filthy and heavy (with sin) like the sheep in the wilderness, Jesus will carry us." I had never thought about the condition of the sheep we always see in the arms of the shepherd. Of course, it would be muddy and cruddy. That is an analogy I had never thought of.

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  2. Gorgeous artwork and inspirational thoughts.
    Blessing hugs,
    Teresa

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  3. Beautiful Devotional and art work to illustrate! best of two talents!
    Thank you! have a great week!
    Ginny #17

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I am so glad you dropped by! You are a blessing!
:^) Patsy