We are presented today with another one of Jesus’ puzzling and disturbing parables. He praises the steward, not for being dishonest, but for his prudence. The steward is looking out for his future and so must we, that is, our ultimate future, which is ours to squander by the choices we make each day. Once again, I have a story to share, based on one written by the Russian novelist, Leo Tolstoy.
Once there was a farmer named Pahom. As a young man, he took over the family farm and was very successful. Soon he bought the neighbor’s farm, and then other neighboring farms, until he owned thousands of acres of land. He continued to buy land until he was the largest landowner in the area.
But he wasn’t satisfied. Pahom wanted more. A traveler told him of the far away country of the Bashkirs, where acres and acres of the most beautiful land were waiting to be cultivated. Pahom found that the traveler’s story was true. So, he immediately sold his land for a hefty profit and journeyed to the land of the Bashkirs.
Upon arriving, he presented himself to the Bashkir chief, seeking to buy as much land as they would sell. The chief said the price was one thousand rubles a day. “One thousand rubles a day? What kind of measure is that?” Pahom asked.
“We do not know how to reckon it out,” explained the chief. “We sell it by the day. As much as you can go round on your feet in a day is yours, and the price is one thousand rubles a day.”
Pahom was shocked. “But in a day you can get around a large track of land.” “And it will be yours,” the chief said. “But there is one condition: If you don’t return on the same day to the same spot where you started, your money is lost.”
Pahom paid the money and agreed to begin his trek the next morning. He was so excited, he could hardly sleep that night. The virgin soil was the most beautiful he had ever seen, rich and black, level and stoneless. And all of it would soon be his.
Just before sunrise the next morning, Pahom met the chief at the appointed place. As the sun appeared over the horizon, Pahom dug his spade into the dirt, marking his starting point. The race was on.
Pahom walked as fast as he could. As the day grew warmer, he cast aside his coat. Soon he was running. By noon he was very pleased at the great distance he had covered. Keeping up his pace, he did not stop to eat, rest or even drink water. The lure of land kept him going.
All afternoon he ran. As the sun was about to set, Pahom realized that he had gone too far. Horrified,he ran faster and faster, his legs becoming heavier and heavier. As the sun began to set over the western horizon, Pahom could see the Chief waiting for him. He dragged his body, crying for more time.
As the sun disappeared, Pahom fell to his knees before reaching the mark he had made at sunrise. Broken and exhausted, he collapsed before the Chief and died. The Bashkirs picked up his shovel and buried Pahom on the spot. Six feet from his head to his heels was all the land he needed.
Using humor, Jesus often warned his followers of the dangers of money and possessions. He cautions, “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.” For some people, like Pahom, mammon, that is, wealth, is their god. Consequently, they miss the real focus in life, which is God himself. So ask yourself, “What do I own and what owns me?”
Some of us let the things we possess possess us, demanding our time and attention at the expense of the people we love. Just as the steward was decisive in how he used his master’s possessions to gain his favorable end, we too must be decisive in the use ofour possessions and which God we serve in order to gain our eternal end. Thus we must not squander opportunities to be charitable and just toward others.We can’t live without money but how we live with it is an important test of our Christian commitment.
My friends, Jesus is challenging us to look at everything we have: our possessions, skills, talents and opportunities as something given to us to use,manage, and invest for one ultimate purpose: building God’s kingdom. The steward was looking out for his own hide, and he did so masterfully. We should be so zealous and cleaver. After all, we have a lot more to gain.
“How Much Land Does a Man Need?”
When the ancient Israelites lost touch with God, this led to the moral decline of their nation and its eventual collapse. Our life in this world is temporary. Eternity is forever. Jesus is telling us to use the blessings God has given us to help us get closer to God and not let our possessions become our gods instead.
Lord Jesus, you care for the poor, the cheated, and the forgotten. Lord have mercy.
Christ Jesus, you challenged the rich, the privileged, and honored, Lord have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you teach us the art of God’s love, Lord have mercy.
Christ calls on us to serve whenever the opportunity arises. Let us begin by offering these prayers on their behalf and ours….
All merciful God, you carry the poor, the voiceless, and the powerless close to your heart. Teach us to open our hearts to them as well, so that, like you, we may care for them out of our abundance and generosity. We ask this through Christ our Lord.