Kingdom Finances 101: Not What You Would Expect.
Jesus tells an intriguing story in Luke 16:1–9 about a dishonest manager who, on his own, strikes off significant amounts owed by the owner’s debtors so that when he is dismissed by the owner the debtors will welcome him into their homes. Jesus or Luke says (it’s hard to know where the story ends and the commentary begins): “And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are shrewder in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes” (9:8–9). Who are the “children of this age”? These are persons who live by (who are motivated and driven by) the values of this age. Jesus or Luke infers that the “children of this age” are quite clever in arranging and securing their future in this world. This is obviously a general observation. Not everyone is so good at that. B...