Dealing with the ways of the world

"And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than the children of light.” - Luke 16:8

I remember an FB wall post from a friend of mine. She narrated her encounter with a taxi driver. He was a chatty one, and for a while the conversation was engaging enough not to notice the traffic. Then he started talking about his sob stories. She became suspicious of the direction of the talk. She felt strongly that he was trying to get her to give a good tip. She was feeling manipulated. She asked her FB friends whether she should give a tip, and let the driver feel that he 'put one over' another passenger again.

The situation brings to mind how sometimes, I berate myself for falling prey to the schemes of people. Yes, like my friend, I hate the feeling of being manipulated, and deep down, of feeling stupid enough, or not smart enough, to figure out what was going on. I should have been wilier, not that trusting, etc. etc. But this verse from yesterday's gospel reading reminds me that I shouldn't be so hard on myself. Perhaps in my journey towards living a more Christian life, I would start to see things less on an earthly plane. And because of that, I will be less crafty or witty or street-smart. I will miss out on certain cues and fall victim at times. But that should be less a judgment on my intellect than an affirmation that I am on the right direction. Maybe.


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