The Prairie Home Companion radio show did a comedy bit called The World's Oldest Jokesters. They told jokes from pre-history and early history and (sounding like New England Jews) included several jokes tied to Bible stories. They claimed they'd even heard Solomon, the first comedian to write down his material. The theater audience chuckled as they quoted dire verses from Ecclesiastes and explained they were hilarious as Solomon said them. They just lose something in the translation.
Today's parable may lose something when it's stuck in print. It can be funny if we hear the punch line delivered through laughter. "The Master commended the dishonest manager... ppphaw-haw-huh... because he acted shrewdly." Ok, maybe something is still lost in translation. But how else do we explain the crazy circumstances of this story. The manager wastes the master's money. He's given a pink slip. The manager cooks the books, robbing the master of still more in order to buy his way into people's homes. The master, impressed with the dishonest manager's creativity, gives his approval. In our culture the punch line might sound more like, "DOH! Why'd I fire him? That crook knows how to take care of business!" Wait... does Jesus want us to be dishonest?
1 comment:
3-16-2010 Azalee responding to Luke 16:1-9 text for Friday, March 11.
I did not read the comments until this evening. Even in this day dealing with money can tempt the most honest and even the "church going" person. God's grace can forgive, however, and I pray that he has forgiven the ones I know who have given into the temptation. We must let God's resurrection power that he has invested in us defend against any time of temptation and it is not done without being in the word day after day as well as being encouraged by others.
Ron, your answer to the "Dallas" visitors suggesting that Oak Ridge refine the worship service relates somewhat to this story of gaining wealth. Your trump remark Sunday was "Raise money if you like, raise a million dollars but use part of it to help the less fortunate."
Rick Warren comments in today's devotional is worthy of thought:
Everything you think, everything you see, everything you do, everything you feel -- God knows all about it. He already knows all you've done wrong and He still loves you!
You're not fooling God when you keep your sins hidden. (1 John 1:8) He's not shocked by your sin and when you admit it to Him, it doesn't ever -- will never -- change the way He feels about you. He loves you unconditionally, and that means you don't have to fake it; you don't have to pretend.
We are encouraged by 2 Peter 1:5-8
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Reread "possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive."
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