THE KING*S BUSINESS
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self to account (2 Cor. 13:5) he might have been spared this dismay. “My lord taketh away from me the. stewardship — How helpless a man is! When God ousts a man who shall say, “What doest thou?” (Dan. 4:35). V. 3. “I cannot dig; to beg I am asham ed. If all this he had been aware, he had something that he could do, and do With credit. Had he been faithful in his business his employer would have been loath to lose him. Young men, and old, have need of the lesson in the business, of this world, for they are not all wise. Keep your place by faithful service while you have it, “the army of the unemployed” needs no recruits. V. 4. “I am resolved what to do.” Even this man had some expedient left when he lost his job, but in the long world’s busi ness the end is the end. On what course then can the shrewdest resolve? Vs. 6, 7. These verses tell how, grafter ais he was, this grafter put those ready swindlers under obligations. How the scheme worked out we do not know. It is not probable the dishonest debtors recog nized their obligations, when he had no more to give nor they to gain. The chil dren of this world (as all such are) are wise in that also, and receivers of stolen goods are not likely to receive the thieves’ into their houses.” Dishonorable conduct is sure to come to grief whatever expe dient it may seek to protect itself. “Hon esty is the best policy,” even in this gen eration. There is no other security. IV. T he L ord ’ s A pplications . 1. His Commendation. He said, “he had done wisely." He did not commend the man’s shift but his shrewdness; not his peculation, but his prudence; not his works, but his wisdom. Do not miss the fact that Jesus called him “the unjust’ (“unright eous”) steward;” and does not say that he had done rightly but wisely. The old wo man who admired the Devil’s perseverance did not commend his character. She drew a lesson for “the children of light,” from the
“prince, of darkness.” Our Lord contrasted Worldly with unworldly wisdom. "The children of this world are wiser in their generation” (and how short it is), than "the children of light." Worldly men anx iously plan and prudently prepare for the days to come, God’s people give little thought, pains, or wealth for the ages to come. What are you planning, doing, giv ing in view of the term of your steward ship ? . 2. His Recommendation. “Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of un righteousness (viewing riches as tainted by this world’s dirty handling); that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlast ing (unfailing) habitations.” Undoubtedly Jesus taught that the affairs of this life are the affairs of the next. That with which we are trusted can be transported. Men may lay up not alone for old age, but for the new age. Death is not necessarily bankruptcy. As tourists send money ahead to draw on in their travels, so we should do who journey to “the better land.” Not money (though this especially) only, but all that pertains to this life is available for heavenly deposits. . , 3. His Comments. “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much, etc. (vs. 10-13).' Heaven counts least what men count much. Heaven looks through the big end of the telescope. Much or little it is “ faithfulness " that tells. The test of faithfulness is, “F or the glory of G od .” What men have now is not their own—their’s is a probationary stewardship. What is to be is one’s own—if he has been faithful. If not—God will not entrust him with the true riches. Great is the contrast between The true and the transient. “No man can ’serve two masters.” Make money your servant or it will become your master. If you “hold to" that some day it will fail you. “Money has power” to damn or to bless,, to impoverish or to enrich efemaily. If God is our Master money will be our servant and His, and good service it will do; it will buy corner lots, mansions in the skies, perhaps for a million redeemed souls
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