SHREWDNESS

A Most Controversial Topic

In the gospel of Luke, chapter 16, verses 1-13, we find one of the most perplexing, and provocative teachings in the Christian scriptures -- commonly known as The Parable of the Shrewd Manager. The account describes a steward who, when he learns he’s about to be fired for squandering his master’s wealth, meets with debtors and slashes their bills. He’s doing this for himself. He wants to secure favors with folks who will take him in when he’s unemployed.

Most puzzling is the cognitive dissonance engendered by the owner’s failure to condemn the manager for his final act of theft, instead commending him for acting shrewdly. The parable skillfully dissects the concept of shrewdness. Shrewdness is not portrayed as inherently evil, but as a neutral tool with the potential for negative or positive use.

First, the negative. Disconnecting shrewdness from a moral compass can quickly lead to a host of problems, The manager thought only of himself. When he displays worldly cunning, he’s called unjust and dishonest. Nothing is hidden here. Nothing is glossed over. The manager’s “shrewdness” involves falsifying records and cheating his employer out of what was rightfully his.

His destructive shrewdness manifested itself in a willingness to bend or break the rules. This negative expression of shrewdness is self-serving. Every action is driven by self-preservation. The unjust steward has no loyalty to his master. He has no genuine care for his master’s debtors either. Instead of serving people, he uses them as stepping stones to get what he wants. He is manipulative, not empathetic. He exploits his master’s capital to buy his own future security. His cleverness is devoid of integrity.

Thankfully, that is not all that can be said about shrewdness. There is a positive side to it as well. This “other shrewdness” displays foresight and resourcefulness. We must never lose sight of the fact that the owner was not praising the manager’s dishonesty, but rather the manager’s strategic brilliance. This parable gets out the metaphorical scalpel and carefully dissects shrewdness in all of its complexity.

The parable masterfully exposes nuanced aspects of shrewdness that escape most people. This is the kind of shrewdness that the world could use more of – with characteristics like exceptional foresight, accurately assessing the future – and more.

The soon-to-be unemployed manager quickly and thoughtfully grappled with what to do about his impending reality, unemployment and poverty. He shrewdly looked past the present with a laser focus on the future. He shrewdly anticipated consequences and planned accordingly. He took decisive action. He didn’t wallow in self-pity. He analyzed what he had to do. He formulated a plan and he worked the plan.

The manager made strategic use of present resources. He understood leverage. He realized that the temporary authority and resources he still held in the present could be traded for long-term security. The manager understood human nature. He knew what motivated the debtors. He shrewdly leveraged human psychology to build a network of people who would be there for him tomorrow.

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This most-misunderstood parable is brilliantly executed. It reclaims shrewdness as a potentially admirable trait. The central thesis of the parable is summarized in Luke, chapter 16,

⁸ “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.’

Just to be clear – the parable is not commending those, driven by worldly ambition, who exhibit far more creativity, strategic thinking, and dedication to their goals than members of the community of faith. The Parable of the Shrewd Manager is a masterful analysis of an often mis-characterized trait. It is ultimately a call to action. It’s a challenge to individuals not to adopt the deceit but to match the urgency, the resourcefulness, and the foresight so often lacking among people of faith.