Daily Devotion: A Diligent Servant

Scripture:
Luke 19: 11-27

Main Verse:
Luke 19: 26
I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Observation:
In this parable, the nobleman went to a far country to receive for himself a kingdom. Before he left, he gave ten minas to ten of his servants. At that time, a mina was equivalent to about 3 months wages. The nobleman ordered them to engage in business until he comes back. It was not an easy task for the servants, especially because the citizens of that country hated the nobleman. However, the first servant made ten minas out of one mina, the second servant made five out of one mina, while the third servant made nothing. In addition, the nobleman rewarded the first and second servants ten and five cities respectively, but to the third servant, he took his mina and gave it to the servant who has ten minas. As for those who hated him and did not want him to reign over them, the nobleman ordered them to be slaughtered.

Unlike the parable of the talents where each servant received varying amounts of talents, here, the servants in this parable received the same amount. The Lord wants to teach us in this parable that diligence will be rewarded. We will all be accountable to the Lord when He returns, and He expects that we make wise use of our time, treasure, and talents. It won't be easy doing our responsibility because we serve a God who is rejected by many, but we should not use that excuse and accept that it is part of the risk we all face as followers of our Lord.

Application:
The English idiom "couch potato" is commonly used to describe a lazy and inactive person. Usually this person likes lying down and spending most of his time watching TV or doing other meaningless things. But as citizens of God's kingdom awaiting for our Master's return, we should not waste our time doing nothing with the Lord's Gospel. The Lord has entrusted us with the Word, which is more precious than a thousand pieces of silver and gold! (Psalms 119:72) There is nothing to be ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16) Our purpose here on earth is to fulfill God's purpose and goal. We need to put the Gospel to work in order for the Kingdom of God to grow. We cannot expect God to reward us at the end if we have not done our part of the job. Let us not be like the lazy servant who did nothing with his master's mina. Let us not be like couch-potato Christians.

"They who have some already shall have more, especially in the matter of grace. If you serve God well, he will give you more to do. If you love him ardently, he will reward you by enabling you to have more love to him; and if you exercise great faith, he will give you yet more faith. The way to be truly enriched, spiritually, is to be faithful to God in what we have." - Charles Spurgeon

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the inspiration and letting me understand your message today. Indeed, my source of strength comes from You and the promise of your return. May you find me a diligent servant fulfilling your goal here on earth upon your return, and whatever I do for you, may I do it for the glory of your Kingdom. All these I pray in Your Mighty Name alone. AMEN.