Luke 16.8-9 observes, here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right —using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior. MSG

What does it mean to be kingdom street smart? For this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. A clue is found in this passage, we are to be focused on the things above and not be sucked into the things of this world. Like the man on the streets who is wary of the pimp, the drug dealer, the gang leader who might grab him for his own evil purposes, so too the man of God must be wary of the allurement of power, pleasure, and possessions from taking him off God’s purposes.

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