Thursday, November 30, 2017

Matthew 25:14-30

14-15 “The emerging regime headquartered in heaven can be likened to this scenario. A man about to leave on a journey met with his employees and entrusted his assets to their care -- according to what he considered to be each’s ability. To one he gave five trillion dollars. Then to another, he handed over two trillion dollars. And to yet another employee he committed one trillion dollars. He then left on his journey.

16 “No sooner had he gone than the first employee, the one entrusted with five trillion dollars, put the money to work and doubled it. 17 The second employee acted with equal prowess and transformed the two trillion dollars entrusted to him into four. 18 However, the employee who had received one trillion dollars from the boss dug a hole in the ground and carefully buried the money.

19 “After being gone a long time the boss returned and called a meeting to get a report on his assets. 20 The employee who had received five trillion dollars spoke up first to show his gain on investment. He said, ‘Boss, you gave me five trillion dollars. Look, I’ve turned that into ten.’

21 “His boss replied, ‘Wow! You’re awesome -- a solid and trustworthy employee! You’ve faithful overseen a little, but now I’m going to put you in charge of a lot. Let’s party!’

22 “It was then the second employees turn to report. ‘Sir, you put me in charge of two trillion dollars. Look, I’ve turned that into four.’

23 “His boss was elated with him, too. ‘Well done! You, too, are a solid and trustworthy employee! You’ve faithful overseen a little, but now I’m going to put you in charge of a lot. Let’s party!’

24-25 “Next, the employee who had received one trillion dollars reported, ‘Sir, I know how demanding you are and I was afraid to risk the money, so I conservatively hid it in a hole in the ground. But here it is -- one trillion dollars -- every last cent -- nothing lost.’

26 “His boss was stunned and replied, ‘Seriously? You’re a lazy idiot! You’ve already mentioned how demanding I am, yet, you did nothing whatsoever to grow the money. 27 You should have just put it into a bank where it would have been safe -- while yielding a whopping 0.01% interest.

28 “The boss then ordered that the one trillion dollars be taken from him and given to the employee who had ten trillion dollars. 29 Those faithful people with a lot end up receiving more -- way more than they need. For faithfulness yields great rewards. But it’s a downward spiral for those who are unfaithful with the little they have. They end up losing even that little bit. 30 So escort this worthless former-employee out of the building and out into the unemployment line -- where there is weeping and grinding of teeth.