Luke 12:42-48 (NRSV)
42 And the Lord said, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know and will cut him in pieces[a] and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his master wanted but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.
For those of us who like the grace-filled gospel stories, this parable of Jesus causes us to pause. Beatings, drunkenness, being cut in pieces and left out with the unfaithful trash?
Stepping back to view the message to us, I think I hear that we need to faithfully do what our Lord calls us to do — every single day —- so that when Jesus returns we will be in the best position to receive a lighter beating (? verse 48) or maybe even grace.
Prayer
Master, Maker, my Lord and my God, help me to be faithful in loving and serving You. Place me in the path of following Jesus, who showed His love in living and dying for me. Amen.
~ Steve Negley