And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. – Luke 18:1

GREEK
ἐγκακεῖν/enkakein: give up from weariness

CONSIDER
In 490 BC as the Persian army landed at Marathon, Athens sent a runner named Pheidippides to Sparta to ask for help. According to the historian Herodotus, he arrived in Sparta the day after he left Athens. That’s roughly 150 miles of rugged, mountainous terrain. Every mile must have tempted him to stop, but the message was too important to leave undelivered.
Prayer can feel like a long run, too. Luke tells us Jesus told his disciples a parable “to the effect that they ought always to pray and not enkakein (give up from weariness).” This Greek word describes someone so worn out that they can’t take another step. It’s the runner who sits down on the side of the road, not because the destination has changed, but because their legs have given out. Jesus knew that when our prayers seem unanswered, we’ll be tempted to quit. But prayer isn’t a race we run to reach God. It’s how God sustains us along the way. Augustine of Hippo wrote, “It is your heart’s desire that is your prayer; and if your desire continues uninterrupted, your prayer continues also.” Augustine’s point is that prayer is more than the words we say, it’s a heart that keeps turning toward him. The good news is that we never run alone. Jesus “always lives to make intercession” for us (Hebrews 7:25). So even when we grow weary, we can rejoice that he never does.

APPLY
How can I persevere in prayer?

nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” – Luke 17:21

GREEK
ἐντὸς/entos: within, among

CONSIDER
In this week’s passage, the Pharisees wanted to know when the kingdom of God would arrive. They were looking for something they could point to: a sign in the sky, a political revolution, a throne in Jerusalem. But Jesus answered, “the kingdom of God is entos (within, among) you.” This Greek word appears only one other time in the New Testament. In Matthew 23:26, Jesus tells the Pharisees, “First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”
See the connection? The Pharisees were scanning the horizon for the kingdom while the King stood right in front of them. And they were also polishing the outside of the cup while their inner selves remained untouched. Dr. Tim Keller liked to say that “religion tells us, ‘I obey, therefore I’m accepted.’ but the gospel says, ‘I’m accepted through the work of Jesus Christ, therefore I obey.’” Keller’s point is that religion works from the outside in while the gospel works from the inside out. Theologians call this inside – out work regeneration: when the Holy Spirit gives new life to a heart that could never clean itself. We don’t achieve it; we receive it by grace through faith. If the kingdom has already arrived in Jesus, we don’t need to wait for some future moment to start living for him. Today is the day to live like a citizen of his kingdom.

APPLY
How would I live differently if this day was my last?

But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. – Luke 17:25

GREEK
ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι/apodokimasthēnai: be cast away after thorough examination

CONSIDER
Centerway has a Because & Therefore that states, Because God gave his best… we value EXCELLENCE… therefore we bring our best to every environment, we don’t settle or just check boxes, and we steward our lives and resources thoughtfully and intentionally.
Excellence is a gift from God, but it can also quietly attempt to become a god. Before we bring our best to anything, we must ask a deeper question: what are we building on? In today’s verse, Jesus says the Son of Man “must suffer many things and apodokimasthēnai (be cast away after thorough examination) by this generation.” This Greek word describes something that has been tested and declared unfit. Picture a housing inspector who walks through every room, checks the foundation, examines the wiring, and then stamps the report: Rejected. That’s how the religious leaders treated Jesus. They inspected his teaching, his miracles, and his claims, and they concluded that he didn’t measure up. Luke uses this same verb in 20:17 where Jesus quotes Psalm 118: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
Here’s the irony. The use of this verb tells us that the builders weren’t lazy. They were careful, committed, and excellent by every religious standard. But they were so devoted to their own blueprint that they threw away the one stone the entire building depended on. So it’s possible to bring our best to every environment and still build our lives on our own performance. The gospel turns the inspection upside down. Jesus was rejected so that we who could never pass God’s inspection, could instead be accepted! When he is our cornerstone, excellence is no longer how we earn our place. It’s how we respond to his grace.

APPLY
How would I live differently if this day was my last?

Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. – Luke 17:33

GREEK
περιποιήσασθαι/peripoiēsasthai: acquire for oneself, purchase, secure

CONSIDER
How would I live differently if this day was my last? It’s likely that most of us would live without fear. We would reconcile broken relationships and say the words we’ve been putting off. We would lean into the gifts and calling God has given us instead of waiting for a better moment. Isn’t it interesting that the life we’d want on our last day is a life of letting go?
Jesus says, “Whoever seeks to peripoiēsasthai (acquire for oneself, purchase, secure) his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.” This Greek word pictures someone working to earn enough to finally feel secure. And if we’re honest, that’s what we as humans tend to do! We try to purchase our identity with success, reputation, relationships, or comfort. But anything we try to acquire we eventually have to protect, and anything we have to protect will eventually control us.
The gospel, however, offers a better way. Luke uses this same verb in Acts 20:28, where Paul describes “the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” We don’t have to purchase our lives; Jesus already has! When we let go of every identity we could build apart from him, we don’t lose ourselves. We finally find ourselves. Released from the pressure to secure our own lives, we can flourish in the life he paid for.

APPLY
How would I live differently if this day was my last?

and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” – Luke 17:13

GREEK
ἐλέησον/eleēson: have compassion on, take pity on

CONSIDER
In the first century, leprosy meant more than sickness. It meant isolation from family, worship, and community. So when ten lepers saw Jesus, we might have expected them to cry out “unclean!” Instead, they stood at a distance and cried out, “Jesus, Master, eleēson (have compassion on, take pity on) us.” This same cry for compassion echoes throughout the Gospels. Two blind men followed Jesus shouting, “eleēson us, Son of David” (Matthew 9:27). A Canaanite mother pleaded, “eleēson me, O Lord,” for her daughter (Matthew 15:22). A father knelt before him and said, “Lord, eleēson my son” (Matthew 17:15). Each one came with nothing to offer but their need.
It’s important to note that eleēson doesn’t dictate terms of our healing. It’s simply a cry for true compassion, trusting that however Jesus chooses to respond will be the absolute best possible outcome. The lepers weren’t healed on the spot; Jesus sent them to the priests, and “as they went they were cleansed.” His mercy certainly didn’t look the way they expected, but it was exactly what they needed. Trusting God can be a real challenge when his answer to our prayer looks different than we expect. C.S. Lewis once admitted, “If God had granted all the silly prayers I’ve made in my life, where should I be now?” Crying eleēson means placing our need in Jesus’ hands, and the cross proves that those hands can be trusted. It’s when we recognize that the One we cry out to has already given everything for us that gratitude becomes our most logical response.

APPLY
In what ways will I show gratitude to God for his grace?

and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. – Luke 17:16

GREEK
εὐχαριστῶν/eucharistōn: giving heartfelt praise

CONSIDER
In Luke 17, ten men cried out for mercy, and ten men were cleansed. But only one turned back. Luke tells us he “fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, eucharistōn (giving heartfelt praise).” This Greek word combines eu (good) and charis (grace), and it’s where we get the word eucharist, another name for the Lord’s Supper. Paul uses this same verb to describe the night Jesus was betrayed: “the Lord Jesus… took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it” (1 Corinthians 11:23-24). Jesus gave heartfelt thanks for the bread that represented his body, about to be broken for us.
Notice what happened after today’s verse. All ten were cleansed, but Jesus told this man, “your faith has made you well.” The Greek word there can also mean “has saved you.” So the nine received healing for their bodies but the one who returned with thanksgiving received healing that reached his soul! His gratitude brought him face to face with the ultimate healer. The Lord’s Supper invites us to do the same. Each time we take the bread and the cup, we remember that Jesus’ body was broken so that we could be made whole, inside and out. Now gratitude isn’t just good manners. Gratitude is how we draw near to the One who gives us good grace.

APPLY
In what ways will I show gratitude to God for his grace?

And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” – Luke 17:19

GREEK
σέσωκέν σε /sesōken se: has saved you, has made you complete

CONSIDER
Late in life, when the fame and prestige had become commonplace, Charles Darwin reflected on what decades of scientific work had cost him. As a young man he took great delight in Shakespeare, poetry, and music. But in 1881 he admitted, “My mind seems to have become a kind of machine for grinding general laws out of large collections of facts.” Darwin concluded, “The loss of these tastes is a loss of happiness.” Sure, he made a significant name for himself, but Darwin knew something deeper was lost along the way.
The ten lepers in Luke 17 received something significant too. As they went to the priests, “they were cleansed” (v. 14), and one of them “saw that he was healed” (v. 15). Their skin was restored, and so was their place in the community. Yet when the Samaritan returned to thank Jesus, he heard words the other nine never did: “your faith sesōken (has saved you, has made you complete).” The Greek word is in the perfect tense, describing a completed action with lasting results. It reaches beyond clean skin to a restored life. The nine received what they asked for; the one received Jesus himself. It’s possible to chase blessings from God and then miss the very God who gives those blessings. The Good News is that Jesus offers more than relief. Through his death and resurrection, he makes us whole and complete for eternity.

APPLY
In what ways will I show gratitude to God for his grace?

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, – Luke 17:3

GREEK
προσέχετε/prosechete: hold your attention firmly on, keep watch over
ἑαυτοῖς/heautois: your own selves

CONSIDER
On February 25, 1964, Sonny Liston entered the ring as heavyweight champion of the world and a heavy favorite against a brash 22-year-old with an unimpressive record named Cassius Clay. For months, Clay had taunted and mocked him, and Liston became consumed with silencing his loud challenger. Convinced he would finish Clay within two rounds, Liston reportedly trained by only running one mile a day instead of his usual five. Legendary champion Joe Louis warned, “Liston is an angry man, and he can’t afford to be angry fighting Clay.” After six rounds, Liston stayed on his stool and effectively gave up because he was too tired to finish the fight. He had been so focused on his opponent that he neglected to prepare himself.
Jesus warns of a similar danger in today’s verse: “prosechete heautois (hold your attention firmly on your own selves)! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” The first Greek word pictures someone turning their mind toward something and standing guard over it. Then, the second turns that focus inward. Before Jesus addresses confronting someone else’s sin, he calls us to examine our own hearts. It’s often easy to become preoccupied with the failures of others while ignoring our own, but the gospel reminds us that Jesus has already faced the sin we could never overcome. He didn’t stand at a distance pointing out our failures; he stepped into our place and carried them to the cross. Because his grace meets us first, we can humbly guard our hearts and then extend that same grace to others.

APPLY
How will I serve and obey God even if I don’t receive recognition?

and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
– Luke 17:4

GREEK
ἐπιστρέψῃ/epistrepsē: he turns around, he turns back

CONSIDER
Most of us who drive have at one point heard a GPS announce in a straightforward voice, “Make a U-turn when possible.” The problem, however, is that a U-turn is rarely straightforward. Drivers need to consider traffic patterns, street directions, weather conditions, and so much more. It’s one thing to admit we’ve missed a turn, but it’s another thing to actually turn the car around. Changing direction and actually turning around are not always the same thing.
Jesus speaks to this difference in today’s verse: “and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and epistrepsē (he turns around, he turns back) to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” This Greek word describes more than a passing feeling of regret. It pictures someone who has stopped, turned around, and started heading in a new direction. It’s the difference between saying the right words and taking the next step. Jesus uses this same verb in Matthew 13:15, quoting the prophet Isaiah about people whose hearts had grown dull: “…lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.” There, turning is the doorway to healing. That’s the beauty of the gospel. God doesn’t ask us to fix ourselves before we come back to him; he simply calls us to turn, and he does the healing! And because Jesus has welcomed us back again and again, we can have that same welcoming posture toward those turning back to Jesus.

APPLY
How will I serve and obey God even if I don’t receive recognition?

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” – Luke 17:5

GREEK
Πρόσθες/Prosthes: fill up, power up

CONSIDER
Centerway has a Because & Therefore that states, Because he first loved us… we value LOVE FIRST… therefore we say “come as you are” and welcome people to belong before they believe. Because we truly love people, we will speak the truth in love.
This value seems to be tested most when someone hurts us. Jesus had just told his disciples to rebuke a brother who sins and then to forgive him, even seven times in a day. Overwhelmed, they responded to the Lord, “Prosthes (fill up, power up) our faith!” This Greek word pictures something being placed on top of what is already there, as if their supply could never be enough. But Jesus’ answer is surprising. He doesn’t hand them more. He says, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” Notice his reply begins, “If you have faith…” as if to say, “You already do.” A mustard seed is tiny, and a mulberry tree has deep roots that are virtually impossible to pull up… much like bitterness. So Jesus’ point is that forgiveness doesn’t require more faith, it requires leveraging the faith we already have! The power isn’t in the size of our faith but in the God our faith rests. That’s the gospel. Jesus forgave us completely at the cross while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). So now that we can recognize his grace already at work in us, we don’t have to wait around for a bigger supply. We can – and should – take the next step of forgiveness today.

APPLY
What next step will I take in response to what God has made clear in his word?

And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ – Luke 16:24

GREEK
ἐλέησόν/eleēson: through divine grace take pity on

CONSIDER
In 2020, Catherine Boone died homeless at the age of 49. While this fact alone is a tragedy, what made this story newsworthy was that she was unaware that since 2016 she had access to an inheritance of nearly $900,000. Despite numerous attempts to contact her, the money remained untouched for 4 years while Boone lived without the resources that had already been made available to her. What’s devastating is not just that she died in poverty, but also that Boone never took advantage of the potential benefit from what was already hers.
A spiritual version of this tragedy can be found in Luke 16 through the story of the rich man and Lazarus. After a lifetime of comfort, the rich man found himself separated from God and cried out, “Father Abraham, eleēson (through divine grace take pity on) me…” The irony is that throughout his earthly life, the rich man had access to the mercy of God, yet he never took advantage of his access to it. Sure, he had wealth, influence, and opportunity, but he missed the greatest treasure of all. This man’s story invites us to examine our own lives. Through Jesus, we have been given access to spiritual riches beyond our imagination. God offers forgiveness, wisdom, peace, and the transforming power of his presence. Yet those gifts are experienced as we draw near to him through prayer and the truth of his Word. Jesus paid the price for everything we could never earn, but we must still come to him with open hearts. God has given us an inheritance of divine grace. May we refuse to live in spiritual poverty while ignoring all he has made available.

APPLY
What next step will I take in response to what God has made clear in his word?

And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ – Luke 16:24

GREEK
ὀδυνῶμαι/odynōmai: I am experiencing intense, consuming sorrow

CONSIDER
A life apart from God’s presence is not what humanity was designed for. From the moment Adam and Eve were created and placed in the Garden of Eden, humans were meant to dwell in the Lord’s presence and experience a life-giving relationship with him. The deepest longings of the human heart reveal that we were made for something greater than temporary comfort or earthly success. We were created to flourish where God’s presence is fully known.
This truth helps us understand the contrast Jesus presents in today’s verse. The rich man, who had spent his earthly life surrounded by comfort, now cries out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for odynōmai (I am experiencing intense, consuming sorrow) in this flame.” This Greek word is used only by Luke in the New Testament, and its root carries the idea of something “going down,” like the setting of the sun. It describes a sorrow that descends upon someone and completely overwhelms them. The tragedy of this story is seen in the contrast between the rich man and Lazarus. On earth, Lazarus experienced suffering while the rich man enjoyed abundance. After death, Lazarus experienced comfort in God’s presence while the rich man experienced the anguish of separation. The bottom line is that it matters what we trust in to fulfill us in this life, and the next. So perhaps the next step we take in our spiritual journey is simply to return to the Edenic presence of God we were created for.

APPLY
What next step will I take in response to what God has made clear in his word?

He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ – Luke 16:31

GREEK
πεισθήσονται/peisthēsontai: will they consider the information trustworthy

CONSIDER
When World War II ended in 1945, Japanese Army intelligence officer Hiroo Onoda was still hiding in the jungle on Lubang Island in the Philippines. His order were to never surrender, so he and his men kept up guerilla activity for twenty-nine more years. Leaflets announcing Japan’s surrender were dropped over the island. Search parties left newspapers, photographs, and even letters from his own family. However, Onoda decided all of it was enemy propaganda. Every new piece of evidence was explained away, because he had already decided what he was going to believe. Finally in 1974, his former commanding officer traveled to the island and formally relieved him of duty in person. Only then did Onoda lay down his rifle. More evidence didn’t change him. The voice he had already committed to obey did.
This story might help us see today’s verse in its proper light. The rich man begged for someone to rise from the dead and warn his brothers of the reality of Hades. Abraham answered, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither peisthēsontai (will they consider the information trustworthy) if someone should rise from the dead.” The Greek means more than agreeing with a fact. It comes from the same family of words as faith, and it describes being won over to the point of trusting and following. Abraham’s point is sobering: a heart that won’t listen to God’s Word will explain away even a miracle! God hasn’t left us guessing in the jungle. He has spoken with authority in his Word and fully in his risen Son. So we don’t need another sign, we need to recognize his voice and trust it enough to lay down whatever we’ve been holding onto.

APPLY
What next step will I take in response to what God has made clear in his word?

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. – Luke 16:14

GREEK
ἐξεμυκτήριζον/exemyktērizon: they openly mocked, lit. they blew their nose at

CONSIDER
Pride has a way of turning correction into conflict. When someone challenges the way we see the world, our natural response can be to defend ourselves rather than listen. Instead of humbly receiving truth, we are apt to easily dismiss the messenger. Sometimes, that dismissal becomes more than disagreement… it becomes a public rejection meant to convince others to join us. This is what’s happening in today’s verse: “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and exemyktērizon (they openly mocked, lit. they blew their nose at) him.” This Greek word is found only in Luke, and the only other time it appears is when Jesus is hanging on the cross and the rulers mock him. Clearly, this word describes more than private disagreement. It pictures a visible display of contempt, like turning up one’s nose in rejection. Their goal was not simply to disagree with Jesus, but to diminish him in the eyes of others.
Even so, the text reveals the humility of Christ. The very people who publicly scorned him could not prevent him from accomplishing his mission. Jesus endured their rejection, carrying their – and our – sin so that we could receive acceptance from God. The cross reminds us that the deepest problem of humanity is not simply ignorance of truth, but resistance to the One who is truth. As we encounter Jesus, may our response not be to defend our pride, but to surrender our hearts to the Savior who gave everything for us.

APPLY
In what areas of my life do I need to be more concerned about what God says than others?

And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. – Luke 16:15

GREEK
βδέλυγμα/bdelygma: a moral horror as a stench to God; idolatry

CONSIDER
Psychologists have long studied what is behind our propensity for self-justification. This is the human tendency to explain or defend our choices in order to preserve a positive view of ourselves. Experts have noticed that even in elementary students, when our actions don’t align with what we believe is true about ourselves, we naturally look for ways to reduce that tension. Rather than admitting we may be wrong, we often create explanations that allow us to remain comfortable with our decisions.
This reality is the heart of Jesus’ warning in Luke 16:15: “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is bdelygma (a moral horror as a stench to God; idolatry) in the sight of God.” The Greek word here can also be translated as idolatry, and the connection is clear: idols elevate created things into places that belong only to God. What humanity can easily celebrate actually reveals a heart that has turned away from the One worthy of worship. The Pharisees were not simply making mistakes, they were protecting a version of themselves that others admired. They valued human approval more than God’s truth. Let’s not fall into the same trap today! Jesus doesn’t expose our hearts to shame us, but to heal us. Now true and ultimate freedom comes when we no longer need to justify ourselves before people because we’re already known and loved by God.

APPLY
In what areas of my life do I need to be more concerned about what God says than others?

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. – Luke 16:17

GREEK
πεσεῖν/pesein: deteriorate, fall over and be rendered useless

CONSIDER
John of Damascus lived in the 6th century, a time when religious tradition and human achievement often overshadowed the simplicity of salvation by grace. Raised in a prominent family within the Byzantine world, John was surrounded by a culture that placed great value on religious performance and external devotion. Yet as he studied Scripture and the teachings of the church, he became convinced that humanity’s deepest need was not greater effort, but the mercy of God. John spent his life defending the truth that salvation is found in Christ alone and that human works cannot carry the weight of redemption. His writings helped preserve the church’s understanding of grace in a world tempted to replace faith with religious striving.
This truth is at the center of Luke 16:17, where Jesus says, “But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to pesein (deteriorate, fall over and be rendered useless).” The Greek word carries the picture of something collapsing or failing under pressure. So Jesus is declaring that God’s Law is not fragile or temporary. It will never weaken under the weight placed upon it. But we can only understand this truth in light of the gospel. Our attempts at self-righteousness are too weak to carry the weight of our sin, our expectations, and our hope. Only Jesus can bear that weight. The Good News is that everything we have, including our salvation, is received as a gift. We are not owners trying to secure our future through achievement; we are stewards faithfully responding to the grace God has already given us.

APPLY
In what areas of my life do I need to be more concerned about what God says than others?

He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. – Luke 16:1

GREEK
διασκορπίζων/diaskorpizōn: dispersing without purpose, widely squandering

CONSIDER
It’s been said that everything we have is a gift before it becomes a possession. From our time and abilities to our resources and relationships, God has entrusted us with things that ultimately belong to him in the first place. The difference between ownership and stewardship changes the way we view everything. An owner wonders, “How can I use this for myself?” But a steward asks, “How will I faithfully manage what has been placed in my hands?” This tension sits at the center of Luke 16:1, where Jesus introduces a manager who was accused of “diaskorpizōn (dispersing without purpose, widely squandering) his [master’s] possessions.” The Greek paints a picture of a resource being scattered carelessly and without direction. The manager acted as though what belonged to his boss was there to spend however he desired. His greatest failure was not simply poor decision making… it was a misunderstanding of his responsibility.
Jesus uses this story to confront the posture of our own hearts. We can easily live as though our lives, resources, influence, and opportunities – basically everything – belong entirely to us. But the gospel declares that we are not owners, but recipients of grace. Jesus gave everything he had for our sake, holding nothing back at the cross. Now the question is not whether God has entrusted something to us, but whether we will faithfully leverage what he has placed in our lives for his kingdom.

APPLY
What has God placed in my life that I will leverage for his kingdom?

The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.  – Luke 16:8

GREEK
φρονίμως/phronimōs: practical wisdom, foresight, clear purpose

CONSIDER
The vision behind Openhanded is simple: everything we have belongs to God before it belongs to us. Our time, resources, influence, and opportunities are not possessions to protect, but gifts to steward. God has been generous toward us, so as his followers we are invited to live with open hands, using what he has entrusted to us for purposes that extend far beyond ourselves. In Luke 16:8, “the master commended the dishonest manager for his phronimōs (practical wisdom, foresight, clear purpose).” Jesus isn’t celebrating the manager’s dishonesty. He is highlighting the manager’s ability to recognize reality and act in light of what was coming. This man understood that his current reality was temporary and that his future required intentional preparation. In the same way, followers of Jesus are called to consider the realities of eternity as we live today.
Proverbs 22:3 describes this kind of wisdom: “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” Biblical wisdom is not merely knowing information, it’s seeing clearly enough to respond faithfully. Jesus lived with this perfect eternal perspective, setting his eyes on the joy before him and giving himself completely for our salvation. Because Christ first loved us, we can safely and intentionally invest what we have for his kingdom.

APPLY
What has God placed in my life that I will leverage for his kingdom?

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
– Luke 16:13

GREEK
ἀνθέξεται/anthexetai: he will hold firm to, he will be stuck to

CONSIDER
In the early 1900s, Marie Curie continued pursuing a scientific discovery despite intense criticism and public scrutiny. As a pioneer in the study of radioactivity, she faced skepticism from those who questioned her work and even personal attacks that attempted to discredit her accomplishments. Yet Curie remained focused on the vision before her. She wasn’t controlled by the opinions surrounding her. Marie Curie understood the significance of the work she had been entrusted to pursue. Her commitment to a greater purpose allowed her to remain steady through opposition, and generations after her benefited from the discoveries she refused to abandon.
This picture helps us understand Jesus’ words in today’s verse: “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or anthexetai (he will hold firm to, he will be stuck to) one and despise the other.” Here, Jesus revealed that every person invests their life somewhere. The question isn’t whether we will be devoted, but what will receive our devotion. Money promises much, but it cannot provide what only God can give. The gospel declares that Jesus was fully devoted to us, holding nothing back as he went to the cross. And because Christ gave himself completely on our behalf, we can release our grip on temporary benefits and devote ourselves to the eternal treasure of knowing him.

APPLY
What has God placed in my life that I will leverage for his kingdom?