Tag: pay back time
The high price of laziness!
Scripture reading for April 18th: Luke 19:1-27
Some people are procrastinators. They put off doing what they know needs done for many reasons. Some are afraid of failure so they just don’t do anything. Some are afraid of making a mistake so they play it safe. Others are just plain lazy, they don’t want the work it takes to become successful. Jesus told a parable about a king who went away and left some of his managers in charge of his affairs. This parable was to counter the idea that the kingdom of God was going to come immediately. It also addressed this need for diligence and the rewards or loss that can come when we do not apply ourselves to God’s business.
“A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten mina’s. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.'” (Luke 19:12-13) Jesus told this story of the ten servants with the ten mina’s. A mina was about three month’s wages in that day. In His story, the master was appointed king and returned to demand an accounting. One servant had earned ten more mina’s. He was commended, “Well done, my good servant,” and was given charge of ten cities. The next servant had earned five mina’s with his one. He was commended and given rulership of five cities. A third servant came and gave the master back his one mina. This man had an excuse–he was afraid of the master, now king! His fear caused him to hide what he had received.
The king in this story judged the man by taking away the one mina and giving it to the man who had earned ten. The king called this man a “wicked servant” because of his failure to put his money to work! “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them–bring them here and kill them in front of me.” (Luke 19:26-27) This man’s laziness and fear cost him everything! What a lesson for those who are under Christ’s authority and mandate to do His business until He suddenly comes again!