This part of Jesus’ parable has a surprising twist in the tail! What could he be trying to teach us? What could he mean by saying, “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have, will be taken from them.” Could he be emphasising the vast gap between the blessedness of the faithful
servants who will be with him in the end forever and the utter desolation and deprivation of the unfaithful servant, lost forever? That the blessed ones would have everything in his Kingdom and the damned ones nothing at all? There is much to ponder here.
Perhaps Jesus is saying that as real as heaven is, so real is being cast out from his presence. This is as stark
a warning to the Church and her leaders today as it was to the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. God means business. God will have his way. God will see his Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. We are to build the Kingdom with the abundant gifts he has provided, not hide them away or hold them to ourselves.
And a warning to all: He will return to ask us to
recount what we have done.
Let us heed rather than fear the warnings.
At the end of this week, let religious leaders and all God’s people ask ourselves again, how would you feel standing before Jesus right now?
Let us contemplate the mood of Jesus as he tells these three parables – The Ten Maidens, the Bags of Gold and the Sheep and the Goats – realising that he is anticipating his death and resurrection.
As we approach the season of Advent, when we proclaim his coming again, let us clearly distinguish the actual state of our hearts. Is it
expectation and joy or dread and trepidation that we are feeling? Bring this all to Jesus in prayer.
Reflections by Reginald Venter
