We have come to expect the comfortable parables of God's unconditional love and amazing grace that we find in Luke 15. But what do we do with the surprising stories of Luke 16?
Are we supposed to imitate the dishonest manager? Do people in hellfire converse with people in heaven? What is Jesus' intent in telling these stories?
All analogies break down at some point - and so, too, will parables only take you so far. A helpful approach to understanding the stories of Jesus is to ask: What is the main point He is trying to get across? It's best to not get bogged down in the details, which may not have anything to do with the larger purpose of the story.
For instance, look at Jesus' conclusion to the parable of the dishonest manager. "Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings." The story is meant to illustrate that point. The message of the parable is not to cheat our employers or defraud others. Rather, the commendable behavior of the dishonest steward was his ability to THINK AHEAD AND TAKE ACTION. According to his employer, he was shrewd. He made calculated decisions. The lesson for us, according to Jesus, is that we, too, should look ahead and view the real worth of temporary worldly goods only as a means for affecting heaven. Earthly money is best used as a tool to prepare for eternity.
This is a lesson that was lost on the rich man. Instead of sharing his resources with the poor man Lazarus at this gates, the rich man hoarded it for himself. He did not share what he had so that he would one day be welcomed into eternal dwellings. And when he eventually died, all that worldly wealth did him no good. It was Lazarus - the poor man - who enjoyed eternal favor in Abraham's bosom.
So think ahead and take action. Use your worldly wealth now to make a positive eternal difference later. Invest in heaven.
At least, those are my thoughts. What are yours?
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