Management

 And the manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

Luke 16:3 ESV

This sadly must feel a relevant parable to many under the current circumstances: that many are losing their jobs due to the plague related lockdowns. The redundant manager weighs up his options, and it doesn't look good for him.

It seems that managerial jobs are too thin on the ground for him to consider, and maybe losing this job doesn't set him in good stead for a similar one. He's too physically weak for a labourer kind of job, and he's too proud to go on benefits. 

Thankfully, he has an idea whilst he works out his redundancy. He will reduce his fees. In fact, in the best interpretation I've heard of this parable, he forgoes his own commission, banking on the hope that people will remember his discount when he needs a handout down the line. 

Nowadays, I'm not sure his plan would work: people seem less charitable and generous than they will have been back then. But the moral of the story is that we are to use money to invest in the kingdom of heaven. How? By being generous to God's people, because then they're more likely to pray for us to join them in heaven (even though God's people should be more altruistic!).

'Heavenly Father, please don't let us idolise money. Instead, may we use it to invest in the kingdom of heaven. For the glory of Your name, amen'