Unjust Steward Essay Examples

Handling Money and Possessions

"The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their kind than are the people of the light,” (Luke 16:8). Jesus gives the parable of the Unjust Steward to his disciples and audience with motives of educating them. The audience involved were Pharisees who were known as “lovers of money” and they justify themselves before earthly men (Williams, 1964). The story was about a rich man talking to his steward informing him that he will be dismissing him of duties for failing to manage his master’s wealth.
The steward had the authority of managing his master’s resources. Therefore, this calls for the utmost and ultimate level of trust in the steward. After the steward apprehends that soon he will be without a job, he made shrewd transactions behind his master’s back. He reduced the debt owed by various debtors of his masters. For instance, from “nine hundred gallons of olive oil,” he reduced to four hundred and fifty (Williams, 1964). In this verse, Jesus draws a difference between the “people of this world” that is unbelievers and the “people of the light” who are the believers. Believers are wise and consider things of the world to come while unbelievers are wise on earthly things just like the unjust steward.
The key principle of the parable is conveying about righteousness, competent and accountability for one to be righteous and just manager. In conclusion Jesus said "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much,” (Luke 16:10). Therefore, for businessmen this is a motive well learned, accountability is an essential element of earning the trust from one’s master. In Luke, chapter 16, usage of wealth is profoundly applied. In our lives today we should know that wealth can be a blessing and on the other hand it can be a curse (Williams, 1964). This depends on whether wealth is used as a tool of self-indulgence, a way to exercise power or a means to serve others. When not keen, we can turn our focus toward our enjoyment which is the wealth’s hazard.
The unjust steward was too lazy to work for a living, "The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg,” (Luke 16:3). This is a situation and description of you and me. Many times we always look for the easiest way out. The means that we need least effort to acquire something in our lives. The unjust steward refused to be beggar due to his pride but as a man with innovative mind and entrepreneur we have to swallow our pride, and we can find that there are things beneath our dignity (Williams, 1964). The parable reminds us that we should be believers and we should consider things of the world to come.
According to The Wall Street Journal accountability in care organisations are the better future of U.S, just like believers who are wise and consider things of the world to come (the future). In this article, it opens doors for an economist to learn a motive. To crush the bowl, health care in the U.S does not follow the concept of demand and supply since the demand and supply do not work very well. Therefore, in health care today there are no accountabilities. Recalling from the parable, the steward was not accountable for the management work, and that is why his master dismissed him from duties (Geigle, 2014).
ACOs basically have changed the relationship between a health insurer and a provider instead of staying as negotiating opponents. Jesus gave the parable to educate his disciples and Pharisees. Same case here, the concept can be used to speak to those on the management of ACOs and see there is a need for implementation since the regulations are cumbersome (The Wall Street Journal 2014). ACOs want to be like the unjust steward who did not have mercy for his master’s resources, just like ACOs have no mercy on U.S resources. Now is time to turn on the other side of a coin and change the ACOs that can improve the federal budget and put U.S on a sustainable fiscal year (Geigle, 2014).
In a nutshell, entrepreneurs should put this in consideration. We have a short time left for our stewardship. Time will not last forever; therefore, we should be ready to stand before our masters and give an account of our stewardships. The parable conveys a motive applicable in business, and one does not put a trainee in charge of the business (Williams, 1964). The trainees start with small tasks, if he is capable of handling it, the manager can move him up. By doing this, he will acquire competent, accountability and righteousness. I conclude that the parable of the Unjust Steward was projected to recommend a positive course of action and faithfulness in our lives.
 

References

Geigle, R. (2014, October 27). Accountable Care Organizations Are the Better Future — Letters to the Editor - WSJ. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/accountable-care-organizations-are-the-better-future-letters-to-the-editor-1414439245
Williams, F. E. (1964). Is Almsgiving the Point of the" Unjust Steward"?. Journal of Biblical Literature, 293-297. Retrieved from http://tmcdaniel.palmerseminary.edu/UnjustSteward-Williams.pdf