I would add though that the manager is later praised by the owner. That is because discounting debt is a valid business practice. More accurately would be to say that the manager seeing the business failing, undertook to accelerate payments by discounting the principal. Even though his motivation was selfish, and he acted without authorization by the owner, his acts improved the business and he was praised for it.
Therefore the parable does not seek to condemn the manager either. Rather he is shown as an unwitting model of righteous Christian behavior. We are invited to do likewise and so "make friends for [ourselves] with dishonest wealth".
**That is because discounting debt is a valid business practice. More accurately would be to say that the manager seeing the business failing, undertook to accelerate payments by discounting the principal. Even though his motivation was selfish, and he acted without authorization by the owner, his acts improved the business and he was praised for it.**
I have always thought that the steward losing his position discounted his commission. Is that what you are saying?
Our priest today talked about the three times in your life when money fails you.
1. With your health — you can only pay for so much and then your life is in the hands of God.
2. With your possessions — what good will that money and all those possessions do you — even buried in your yard — (BTW, not a good way to invest your mondey.) He cited someone from Los Vegas who, when he died, they found loads of silver buried around his house.
3. Money fails us at the moment of our death. It is only what we have spent in charities, tithing, time, talent, etc. that will count in God’s book then......not the money we still have in our investment funds.