The Gospel passage today is kind of a funny one and showcases a bit of the Lord’s deep knowledge of humanity. It might at first seem confusing that the master in the parable commends the dishonest conduct of his steward as “acting prudently.” Does that mean that Jesus approves of the the dishonest and selfish actions of the steward? Not quite.
The actions of the steward in the parable amount to theft. There’s no way around that. There can be no justification for his wrongs in this regard. The attribute of the steward that the master praises is this: that when he realized he was in trouble, he immediately got to work and spared no energy or ingenuity. The steward creatively used every single possible asset at his disposal to escape from the mess that he had created for himself in the first place.
As such, this passage is not about the bad behavior of the steward. It’s about his ingenuity, his street smarts, and his dedication to finding a way to make things happen. Are we as unwilling to accept defeat in our works of faith and charity as we are in matters of business, finance, or material success? For the steward, failure is not an option. He exerts his last ounce of cunning in ensuring his survival. Are we as dedicated as this in our pursuits to spread the Gospel and share the love of God with others?