People > $$$

This morning I was reading the   
parable of the prodigal son   
and the following parable of the unrighteous steward.   
Struck me as a bit strange Jesus would tell these 2 together...    

So I asked...    
"What's the common thread...?"    

"What is the issue here?"
"What was keeping the Father from receiving the Son?"
"What was keeping the Son from returning to the Father?"
"What was the 'issue' that seems strangely ignored by the Master
in the story of the unrighteous steward....?"

and it came to me....
Squandering $$$ wealth....

$$$ is what the older brother was choked about...
Loss of $$$ is what created shame in the younger son
$$$$ is what I think the conniving servant should have been jailed for...

and I suddenly realized that
TRUE value
TRUE wealth
Those things held precious by the Father and the Master
were the
LIVES of the son and the servant.
$$$ was almost no value to them.
- That an inheritance had been squandered didn't matter to the Dad.
- That a man was 'cooking' the books and losing his money didn't matter to the Master.
In fact what really mattered was that the man was untrustworthy....
I read these parables in Luke 15:11 - 16:9

So did I understand well?
Did God show me the true 'key'?

Hmm... Context....
What follows?
What were people's response?

...Jesus went on to say,

Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters.
Either he will hate the one and love the other,
or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and Money."
14 The Pharisees,
who loved money,
heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.
15 He said to them,
"You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men,
but God knows your hearts.
What is highly valued among men
is detestable in God’s sight.

Lord,
It's so interesting that it always 'bugged' me
that these two 'got off' squandering someone elses wealth...
Thank You for teaching me
Your view of True Wealth.
- People
- Lives.

That STUFF
is a tool
but little true value
not even close to
People.

Wow.

How do I shift...?
Speak to me as I 'value'
things
and people....
help me to be aware
what's driving my responses....
I want to walk this out
Your way....

Yes.

PJ