Intentions Matter

Gospel Reflection for Luke 16:1-8

A main theme from today’s Gospel is that it is greatly important to examine our intentions behind our actions.

The unrighteous steward attempts to find favor with his master’s debtors because of the fact that he is in danger of losing his position. Once he realizes the urgency of the circumstance he is in, he knows he has to change. This can serve as a great reminder to us, especially as Christians. It is greatly prudent to take the actions necessary to achieve a positive outcome; following Jesus requires much effort to make sure you are living according to his will. However, this can also serve to remind us about the dangers of procrastination. This servant waited until he saw an immediate danger to start making an effort to change. In reality, we should be making a constant effort in our daily lives to be better. We never know when Christ will come back; we must be prepared.

When we wait until the last minute to finally start taking action on something, it can distort how and why we carry out those actions. The unrighteous steward today uses deception and false promises of debt forgiveness with the master’s debtors in order to gain favor. He was prudent in that he worked hard, but he was not prudent in that he was dishonest in how he did it. When we procrastinate, we prioritize ourselves. When we procrastinate in our relationship with God, we may get into a habit of following him purely for the purpose of escaping punishment for ourselves and not for actually being close to him.

Don’t wait to follow the King!