A rich man fires his manager, accusing him of running up large personal expenses. The manager cleverly protects his future by cutting the amounts owed by customers, and the customers happily accept the cuts. In response, the owner surprisingly compliments the manager for being so shrewd! So goes one of the strangest stories Jesus probably ever told, and even scholars can't agree on what it means.

However, one thing is clear: we live in a dog-eat-dog world of greed, where the norm more than ever is to "look out for number 1," and where money is god.  We as disciples can't simply try to be "good people." We have to be shrewd, too, but for purposes of good in a world full of evil.

Click here to read the disturbing CNN article mentioned in this message. The authors claim that "Our moral code is out of date," argue against "collective sacrifice" and dismiss the importance of sharing with others. They say that individual happiness and the pursuit of personal profit are ideals we should embrace.