Of Squandering and Wastefulness

Note: On Fridays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

It wasn’t that the “dishonest” steward had stolen from the master or overcharged the debtors. Rather, the New American Bible notes on this parable, in which the steward is ultimately applauded by the discharging master for removing his commission from the debtors’ bills, tell us, “The dishonesty of the steward consisted in the squandering of his master’s property and not in any subsequent graft.” The steward’s rationale is that he will be more accepted in his community as a result.

The dictionary defines squandering as using something in a foolish or wasteful way, or losing something through negligence or inaction. It doesn’t involve willfulness or evilness on the squanderer’s part, but rather a lack of care, a lack of putting the proper value on what is held.

Like the steward, we sometimes squander the Master’s gifts, including opportunities to reflect Him to others through our actions and words. We use a sharp tone or hold a grudge or avoid situations in which we can minister to others. When we realize what we have done, may we like the steward reach out to those we have wronged and forgive what we have mentally tallied as the commission due us. May we be prudent and merciful with them, just as the Lord is with us.