Jesus Christ our Lord emphasises the importance of faithfulness in our pilgrimage to heaven by faith. We are required to be “faithful in that which is least… (and)in much.” This faithfulness is expected of all believers, including those who are neither church workers nor leaders. For those who are faithful, there will be eternal rewards while eternal recompense awaits those who are unfaithful.
Those who are unjust, unfaithful and undependable attract judgment to themselves. Their lives are characterised by falsehood and they will forfeit their position and privileges when the reckoning day comes. These are the condemned and the accursed, whose ways expose their unfaithfulness.
There is a curse, judgment and condemnation for every unfaithful person. The unjust steward exemplifies this. His stewardship was taken away from him, his life was found unsuited for those who would serve the Lord. As a result, he was expelled from continuing to render any service to his master. Remarkably, instead of pleading for mercy, as should be expected, he initiated a uniquely crafty way of seeking help the wrong way. Like him, some people think the evil they do justifies the end.
Those who are found unjust and unfaithful should repent, confess, plead for mercy and make necessary restitution to experience a transformation of heart, life and direction. Hypocrisy, deception and lying all have negative consequences on members of the household of faith. “Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed.”
“And the lord commended the unjust steward…” This lord mentioned here in the Bible text, is not our Lord Jesus Christ, but refers to the earthly master of the unjust servant. Our Master will never justify corruption, falsehood, waywardness, secret sin or defilement. Although the unjust steward’s master commended him, as most humans would do even admiringly for his ingenuity and quick thinking, what the servant did was “abomination in the sight of God.”
That kind of wisdom “descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.” It may bring material prosperity, but it takes one away from God’s kingdom. We must show the crafty children of this world God’s wisdom that brings progress through honesty, holiness and transparent righteousness in those who are un-condemned because they constantly and absolutely follow God’s word.
As believers, we must stick to God’s word in order not to be condemned on the final day. To do this, we must be faithful, dependable, transparent and “undefiled in the (office, community, home and church, among others).” We should make it a habit also to take heed to everything we learn in God’s word and not act like those who do not know the Lord. This will be possible when each of us resolves like the psalmist who said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee,”(Psalm 119:11).
• Further Reading (King James Version): Luke 16:10. Luke 16:1,2. Luke 16:1-7; Joshua 7:11-13; Zechariah 5:3. Luke 16:8,15; 1 Corinthians 1:20,21; James 3:15. Psalm 119:1,9,11; 1 Peter 1:25.
