Throughout the banking crisis we watched as banking executives continue to reward themselves with large bonuses even as the crisis continues. Every time a new round of bank bonuses is paid out, a public outcry follows. We consider it beyond reason and good conscience that those who presided over conditions that fueled the crisis and used public funds to bail themselves out, would then pay themselves lavish bonuses. We wonder what the bonuses are for since the performance of these executives does not seem to indicate these large sums of money. The unemployed may well ask, “Where’s my bailout?”The bankers seem to turn a deaf ear and find various ways to defend their actions, saying the bailouts are necessary to fulfill obligations set by contracts. However it works, the message beneath it all remains, “This is the way the world works.” Only when the public outcry becomes loud enough, do these “leaders” reconsider.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about a dishonest manager. He’s too proud to beg and not strong enough for manual labor. He acts cleverly for his own benefit. He uses his position to make friends for himself so later he will have a place to go after losing his position. And then, we are amazed to here the master in Jesus’ parable commend the manager, though not for his dishonesty, but for his carefulness in his affairs of business.
Understanding Jesus’ commentary following the story is one of the most challenging in all the gospels … Is Jesus advising his followers to do likewise? Here is a more convincing interpretation… “Children of this age,” Jesus observes, understand how the world works and use it to their benefit, why do “Children of the light” not understand the ways of the Kingdom of God? … “While those who have the most at stake in this age make use of their understanding of “the way the world works” in order to shore up their own privilege and security, Children of the Light are advised to use their understanding of the way the Kingdom works in order to aim for a different goal, their welcome into “God’s home.” Children of the Light are those who respond to examples of “the way the world works” with witness to “the way the Kingdom works.”
But how does this Kingdom work? The idea of eternal homes gives us a glimpse…The dishonest manager was about to lose his means to earn a living and he made deals with who might be expected to repay him a favor by welcoming him into their homes… Jesus has told his followers to give to others without expecting anything in return and to give to those who have no other way of returning the gift. In giving without expecting return the Children of Light are anticipating their welcome not into the homes wealthy in the present age, but into God’s eternal home in the Kingdom.
God’s Kingdom is one of most abundant grace. I think that is one of the experiences of Mending Wings over the last year. We had the idea of offering something of ourselves and gifts from this congregation via the funds from the grant. Not everyone was physically present but everyone WAS present on Wednesday nights at Wapato Presbyterian Church with our thoughts and prayers. And we received so much more than was given. I’m sure each of us would reflect in a different way on the experience. Children of Light therefore respond to “the way the world works” with witness to “the way the inclusive Kingdom of God works.”
Jesus counsels his followers to use their wealth as a witness to the way God’s Kingdom works as opposed to making friends with the powerful in the present age.
The scriptures today call out a sense of extraordinary stress and despair over economic oppression with resulting poverty and the results of war that lead a people to cry out for help from God and to wonder with Jeremiah, “Is there a balm in Gilead?” and to affirm with Jesus, “You cannot serve both God and wealth.”
Francois is a refuge from Rwanda, after fleeing genocide. Jean is a refuge from Congo and narrowly escaped a brutal mass execution of the entire staff of the hospital he served. Both are professional men with Africa as their country of origin. Francois was a medical liaison training villages throughout the country in AIDS prevention. Jean worked as a microbiologist. They both lost family, friends, stability , hopes, dreams, jobs, their homeland.
After a long time, they came to Chicago, “a very foreign place.” They connected with a church in Evanston, Illinois and began attending a men’s prayer and study group. They had lost much, but not their faith in God. The leader of the prayer group, one day, asked a question. “How do you plan for your future?” The members of the group were primarily professionals and then there was Jean and Francois. Someone spoke of needing to make his own way, to plan and prepare for success and in living in this way be protected from harm. The refugees spoke of discovering that no plan was really trustworthy, even if you do pray regularly and give your tithe. The professional spoke of material property, the marker of success. Francois and Jean spoke of steadfast faith despite calamity as the marker of success. The first group spoke of a corrupt government and its leaders. The refugees suggested the group couldn’t fully comprehend a corrupt and broken government and simply offered to pray for our leaders. The first group spoke of needing to save resources and be cautious in charity as a hedge against personal disaster. The two men spoke of learning to be happy with daily bread and finding ways to help other refugees and people in need with any resources available. Very different world views emerged from people who studied the Bible and have experienced very different lives. “A penny saved is a penny earned” - Ben Franklin. A Rwandan proverb says, “We hear you eating in the bushes.” (Meaning you are hording a resource you should be sharing).
All of this happened six years ago. The professionals are now asking, “Is there a balm in Chicago?” Francois continues to thank God for daily bread. The real estate developer is now attempting to rediscover who he is, relearn what faith in God is about and to find peace with daily bread and broken dreams.
Francois found his wife and family after ten years. His trust is in God, not circumstances. His favorite hymn is, “God will make a way.”
God will make a way. He works in ways we cannot see. He will make a way for me. He will be my guide, hold me close to his side. With loving strength for each new day, He will make a way.
AMEN
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