This parable is meant to be shocking.  But it has been often misinterpreted!  It is not saying that believers in Jesus should defraud their employers or use their influence with customers to protect their own interests!  Jesus was talking to His disciples.  They had already left their employments and trusted Jesus to provide for their needs (Luke 18:28-30).  However, they still had to care for their families (1 Corinthians 9:5).  As trainee leaders of the Early Church they would need to continue Jesus' teaching about the purpose of money and what really matters (1 Timothy 6:17-19).  So, Jesus uses a strikingly bad example of industrial relations to teach about spiritual investment.

Previously the employee had been careless, as though there was no value in the money.  In the pressure of business, it is often forgotten that friendly relationships have a long-term currency about them.  While there is no monetary value to good relationships, effective long-term trading is impossible without them.  In this parable, the employee was not right to discount debts due to his master (unless the master had previously inflated the interest rates), but he was wise to build up ‘social credit’ with people who might be able to help him in the future.  

The parable was spoken in the presence of the Pharisees who ‘… loved money’ (Luke 16:14).  But they did not understand that for money to have a value it must be used with a purpose.  Hoarding or spending it on themselves had no value in God’s kingdom, but using it to help people to become friends of God is an eternally valuable investment (2 Corinthians 9:12-15).

Sadly, Christians often think that money is just for them.  No; invest it in God’s kingdom (give it, share it, spend it in gospel proclamation and mission).  Money stored is in a bag with holes (Haggai 1:6); money used in His service is like seed sown - it will produce a harvest.  Some people think that this means a harvest of more money, but the Bible would not agree with that - and it was not the experience of the Early Church.  The harvest is counted in souls won for heaven through the world-wide ministry of the gospel.  So, don't forget that God needs your resources.  You may end up poor, but your investment could bring many to join you in God's presence.  Invest wisely, be shrewd, search out the ministries which will make the best use of your money; and don't forget that the Lord may well want you to be a worker as well as a sponsor.  Ask Him how and where to give today.