“And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.” (Luke 16:8)
The Sunday of the Unjust Steward confronts us with a profound question: how do we manage everything that God has entrusted to us? In the parable, the steward was accused of wasting his master’s possessions. When he heard that he would have to give an account, he realized that his time was limited. It was precisely this awareness that moved him to act quickly and decisively. His wisdom was not in his injustice, but in the fact that he understood the seriousness of the situation and acted with the future in mind.
The Lord says, “Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon.” Mammon symbolizes material wealth, which can bind a person’s heart to earthly things. Yet Christ teaches us the opposite—to turn the material into an instrument for the spiritual. When what we possess becomes charity, support, service, and goodness, it no longer serves to enslave us, but becomes a path toward eternal values.
We are all stewards. We have been entrusted with time, talents, relationships, and opportunities. In today’s world, everything is measured by success, money, and status. Many build their security solely on material things. However, the parable of the Unjust Steward reminds us that we are accountable for the time, abilities, and possessions given to us. One day, we too will be asked to give an account. The question is this: how do we use what has been entrusted to us? Does it serve only our own benefit, or does it become a bridge leading others toward God?
“To make friends by means of unrighteous mammon” means to turn material wealth into the language of love, a helping hand, and a way of standing beside those in need. What we share today will become an eternal testimony tomorrow.
May this Sunday teach us to be wise stewards. May we realize that everything is temporary except love. And when the day of our accounting comes, may our deeds testify that we have used the material to serve the eternal, and through love have prepared our path toward the Kingdom of God.
Deacon MIKAYEL MARGARYAN
