Character Counts

Luke 16:1-14

“Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.” (Proverbs 24:19-20)

Bernie Madoff was known for years as a great financial advisor and millions trusted him with their life savings. He had everything, because he took advantage of that trust to steal billions. While his wife complained that she couldn’t live on the three million the courts left her, people in their eighties were left homeless by his actions. Unfortunately he was only one of many.

Ken Leigh used his position at Enron to rip off investors by implementing what he called cost cutting measures, selling off profitable divisions to eliminate expenses and show a growing cash reserve which impressed investors. In exchange, he received stock and cash bonuses totaling hundreds of millions, as did many managers, while the they eliminated all the productive jobs, and left the investors with an empty shell of a company. Hundreds of other good companies have gone bankrupt or are struggling because their leadership has done the same thing.

Banks approve loans because they can sell the loan to some one else, and make millions. Drug companies and doctors make billions treatments like chemotherapy, which is known to be effective in less than five percent of the cases. Politicians blatantly lie and cheat to get elected then take kickbacks and gifts to pervert their decisions, making millions. One pundit asked, “How can a man spend millions to get elected to job that only pays a hundred fifty thousand per year and at the end of his terms in office have ten million more than he started with if he isn’t dishonest?”

Everywhere we look it seems like only those who cheat win. Some athletes now say that if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying. Christians are surrounded by this culture, and many succumb to the temptation.

“And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.” (Luke 16:1-2)

The steward or business manager was accused of not managing the business properly and losing money. The owner, or in modern terms, the investors demanded an accounting and tells him that he will be fired. They also call for and audit to make sure no money has been stolen.

“Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.” (Luke 16:3-4)

After being the manager and living so well it would be too humiliating to go back and take a menial entry level position such as digging ditches or working at McDonalds, and he doesn’t want to just beg on the street corners, so how can he live? He has an idea that will make him popular with the customers of the company so they’ll feel obligated and help him when he gets fired.

“So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.” (Luke 16:5-7)

He redid all the books and receipts to make it appear that they owed less than they did. Some he discounted fifty percent and others twenty percent. By presenting it as a personal favor, they will feel a personal obligation to him, because the owner will be unable to collect the full amount. Even better, it made his mismanagement less obvious, because the missing amount appeared to be less than it really was.

“And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” (Luke 16:8)

We are told that we had a balanced budget during the Clinton administration. Most people never check to learn that rather than congress voted for expenditures, and then raided Social security to cover the deficit, leaving the Social Security program bankrupt. The balance was strictly an accounting trick, but people thought the country was in good shape financially. The same practices were followed during the Bush years, and now we are reaping the consequences, but at the time everyone praised Clinton and the congress for doing so well. They seemed much the smartest at the time, and that was a major factor in Obama being elected.

“And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” (Luke 16:9)

By going along with the corruption, politicians and regulators can assure themselves of support from those they have helped. If hey lose their position they are likely to obtain high paying positions in the companies they dealt with. Christians may be tempted to do the same thing. A person who cheats at baseball will cheat in other areas as well. True character shows up in everything we do.

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?” (Luke 16:10-12)

While the world may overlook some dishonesty, God will not. What might be obtained by fudging a little is only temporary. It will not matter in eternity. Though it may appear that the world’s way pays better, it will not pay in the long term. We need to decide if we are going to serve God or the world. You can’t have it both ways.

“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.” (Luke 16:13-14)

Choosing to follow God and do what is right in every case will often result in people making fun of you and considering you a failure, because you could do so much better if you’d just give a little. Some of the biggest detractors may well be those who claim to be Christians.