Philippians 3:17 - 4:1 / Luke 16:1-8
To be astute is to have or to show an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage. Other associated qualities would be shrewdness or smartness or even craftiness or cunningness.
Whether that is a good quality or not depends on what is the advantage is used for.
To be dishonest is to behave or prone to behave in an untrustworthy, deceitful, or insincere way, and the purpose is to cheat or swindle someone, that is obviously bad and immoral.
In telling the gospel parable, Jesus ended off by saying that the master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness.
He added by saying that the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.
That would be a compliment to the children of light in that they are more honest and sincere and trustworthy.
But it would be so easy for the children of light to follow the children of the world and be absorbed in the ways of the world, and even take for their model the dishonest but astute steward.
Hence in the 1st reading, St. Paul would urge the Philippians to take as their models those who are faithful to the Lord and living a true Christian life.
Because those who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ are destined to be lost.
No doubt, being honest and sincere and faithful may not get you a lot of friends, but it will get you the right ones.
May we be models of faith that others can look to and may we give them the encouragement to remain faithful to the Lord.