Tag Archive for: Manager

Schmoozing: Lent Day 23

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Lenten Recipe

Recipe 23: Roasted Red Pepper and Fresh Chickpea Pasta

Lenten Journey Day 23: Schmoozing
Of all the topics we have discussed during the Lenten season, did you ever think we would talk about “schmoozing?”

The word schmoozing implies disingenuous feelings, a type of insincerity. Interestingly enough, Jesus turned the schmoozer into the hero of his story. Of course, I’m talking about the insincere, unjust and dishonest steward, the story from which we have been learning for the past two days but today we do so from yet another angle.

Remember, the steward is one who has been trusted by his boss, to manage the business affairs – the boss’ wealth and assets. As Jesus tells the story, it turns out that this steward is a crooked man. He is a man who has stolen and found to be dishonest. As he is being fired by his employers, Jesus tells us, he is ordered to give “an accounting of your stewardship!” How did he manage what was entrusted to him?

The story continues, as Jesus tells it, like this:
So he thought to himself, “I’m not strong enough to dig. And I’m ashamed to beg. I know what I’ll do so when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.” So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, “How much do you owe my master?” “800 gallons of olive oil,” he replied. The manager told him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly and make it 400.” Then he asked the second, “And how much do you owe?” “A thousand bushels of wheat.” He replied, “Take your bill and make it 800.”

So let’s analyze what’s going on here… What is this steward up to? He is taking what does not belong to him and he is using it for his profit. Interesting. You would think that his boss would be more upset. But Jesus turns the situation around. “The master,” Jesus says, “commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly…” And the justification? Jesus continues “…for the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than the people of light. I tell you use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves so when it is gone you will be welcomed in eternal dwellings.”

This can be very confusing parable on the surface. In fact, something as disingenuous as schmoozing becomes a norm for this person and he is commended for his behavior. He is applauded for his shrewdness. But the justification statement is very important. When Jesus says, “the children of this world are more shrewd in their dealings than the children of light” he is telling us that while we are here in this world we need to use the tools that are given to us. We must find the language of this world to better understand one another and function together – to communicate, so that we can implement and do the work that is necessary. Of course, confusion can arise because it sounds foreign based on our prejudices. That is, we are conditioned to believe that religious individuals do not opt for disingenuous means. That is, this does not sound “religious.” But that is the beauty of what Jesus is teaching us and the beauty of our Church Fathers’ direction at this point in Lent.

During this second half of the Lenten Journey we are coming down off the mountain top, as we are looking ahead at life on earth. Remember the entire point of Lent to instruct us and prepare us to live better in our lives in the here and now.  Sadly, many times the religious community wrongly places its emphasis on a life to come forgetting that our life here is one of beauty, one that needs to be cared for and one with which we need to interact. Today we know that there are many problems in the world. There are wars, famines, injustice and an absence of peace on every corner of the globe. On a very personal level, we know of disease and illness. Relationships have gone awry. Families are being destroyed by our materialistic desires. Drugs are coming into the lives of our children and wreaking havoc. All these things Jesus tells us are real. Don’t think that you can avoid them. However, he gives us the tools to deal with our real problems. Those tools are not the holy ones we expect, rather they are rooted in the ways of the world. It figures. To deal with the issues of this world, you need the tools of this world.

Overcome the problems that you have using the tools and the talents that God has given you. As you do so, you begin to see the big picture and your place within it. You have the tools to do anything, even bring about peace. That anger and hatred that escalate into war and genocide, poverty, sickness, disease, pollution and then manifest themselves into cancers and the cancer of hunger, can all be solved by using “worldly wealth” – money – to bring about God’s justice here in this world. The schmoozing is up to us.

For today I ask you to read the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 16. Read the story of the dishonest steward and then think of it this way: The boss is God. You and I are the stewards. Then fill in the blanks with issues in your life. How can you use the talents that you have – to schmooze – solutions in your life? This Lenten season is the first call. In other words, we have been called by our employer to give an accounting of our stewardship. What have we done? 

Thank God we have this opportunity of Lent to set ourselves right. God has given us those tools. Look around and find the places where you can use that talent, where you can schmooze… and using the language of this world, better your situation and work to make dreams into reality.

Remember, this life is beautiful. This life, right now, is worth living. This life is what God has given you. Do not look out beyond yourself and your life. Do not look at something or some life to come. That will happen. The life to come is in God’s domain. Jesus tells us, not to worry about tomorrow, but deal with the now. Set your mind on God’s Kingdom and all else will come to you. It is this life that is God’s gift. Enjoy it. Schmooz. Make a difference in the lives you touch.  He has given you everything you need to make it and make this the beautiful life that He intends it to be.

Let us pray the prayer of St. Nerses Shnorhali:
I confess with faith and adore You, O light indivisible, simultaneous Holy Trinity and one Godhead, creator of light and dispeller of darkness. Dispel from my soul the darkness of sin and ignorance and at this hour, enlighten my mind that I may pray to you according to your will and receive from you the fulfillment of my supplications. Have mercy upon all your creatures, and upon me a great sinner. Amen. (I Confess with Faith 2/24)

Photo: (c)2009 Fr. Vazken Movsesian

Stewardship – Lent Day 21

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Lenten Recipe 

Recipe 21: Lenten Cookies

 Lenten Journey Day 21 – Stewardship

We are over half way through the Lenten season. We climbed up the hill and we are now at the summit, coming down. We look down from the summit and see two paths, one behind us and even more importantly, the path in front of us. It is this path that connects to a larger road which is the journey of life. All that we are discovering during this Lenten period is part of the self-improvement process which fortifies our position in life by granting us the tools to better meet the challenges of life, be they physical, emotional or spiritual. God gives us the tools to handle the complexities of life and to render the journey a simple one.

As we come down off of the mountain, we enter a world that is very real. It is a world filled with difficulties and challenges, but at the same time, it has many victories. It has many moments for us to rejoice and many more to enjoy. Life is very real! How appropriate, that today, at this half-way mark in Lent, the Armenian Church prescribes the Parable of the Dishonest Steward as its Lenten lesson. This is a lesson that connects us to the reality of life.

The Parable of the Dishonest Steward is given to us by our Lord Jesus. We read that there was a dishonest steward, that is, a manager. He was charged to take care of his boss’ assets and money. This man was wise and calculating. He took actions that benefitted himself and at the same time his boss. Jesus refers to him as a shrewd, and even “dishonest” manager. Jesus brings it down to this, “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

This manager is the second character in a trilogy, like the prodigal son from last week and the unrighteous judge that we will look at next week. This character is far from the model you would expect in a religious story, and yet, Jesus uses him, he has the audacity to use him to teach us a lesson in life. It is a lesson in stewardship – managing the assets that we have in life.

Please read the story in its entirety. It is found in the first 12 verses of the 16th chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel. There are many dimensions to it. Today we will focus on the concept of managing our tangible assets.

We live in a world that is filled with real challenges. Reality is not based on or built on fairy tales or myths. Unlike playtime, life is demanding. It asks for our resources, the most precious of which is our time and effort – blood, sweat and tears. The question then becomes, how do we deal with, approach and overcome those challenges?

Jesus tells us that the challenges of life are real. They are to be met and overcome. The resources to do so are in place and need to be used. In his words, we are called to use “worldly wealth” to network and deal with the people of this world. In other words, in this world we must use the tools that this world offers, that is the “legal tender” of this world. Don’t shun those tools by ascribing some definitions based on your moral compass. Don’t pretend that you exist in some other world that is apart from the one we inhabit. This world is very real. We need to use the means of this world to survive this world. What are those means? Our talents. The talents given to us by God.

We began this Lenten Journey by taking an inventory of the things that are essential and necessary for our lives. Today, on this 21st day of Lent, the exercise is to inventory the gifts of God in our lives. What talents do we possess? How can we use them? How can we improve our own lives, as well as the lives of our families, friends and community by the use of those talents? God has given us the resources that we need to deal with life. He has given us the ability, the strength and the courage to move forward. He has given us breath! He has also endowed us with talents. Do you sing or play music? Are you able to craft something? Do you have reasoning and logical skills? Can you invest? Can you make money? Can you heal? Can you console? Can you walk in harmony with others? These are gifts from God.

Jesus says, “He who has been faithful in a little, will be trusted with much.” Take your talent and create! Invest it and make more, whatever your talent may be. Today is the day to examine those gifts you have. You are coming into a world that has so many problems and difficulties. It needs the presence of God today. Not yesterday and not tomorrow. Today. And as an ambassador of God, that is, an ambassador of Love, you now have a responsibility to use your talents wisely to bring the presence of God into your own life as well as the lives of the people around you – your family, friends and ultimately, the world. Furthermore, you do not have a right to ignore your gifts and talents. You are the manager of your life. You must use what has been given you.

In the next few days we will be looking at the models of stewardship. We will look at our talents and understand how we are stewards of our life. How can we take those things that God has given us, and multiply them to really enjoy our life as we fill it with meaning and purpose? How can we touch the lives of others with those talents?

Let us conclude with the prayer of St. Nersess Shnorhali:
Uncreated Essence, I have sinned against You in mind, soul and body; do not remember my former sins for the sake of Your Holy name. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner. (I Confess with Faith 6/24)