Stewardship and Readiness
Throughout His ministry, Jesus used parables to call His followers to lives of faithful stewardship, spiritual vigilance and genuine obedience. From the parables Ten Virgins preparing for the bridegroom, to the servants entrusted with Talents and Minas, to the Wise Builder who laid a firm foundation - each story urges us to be ready for Christ's return and to live responsibly with what we've been given. These parables are not just lessons, but urgent calls to action - to watch, to work, to obey and to be found faithful when the Master comes!
The Ten Virgins
Scripture Reference Matt 25:1-13
The Parable of the Ten Virgins, is one of Jesus' most pointed teachings about the necessity of spiritual readiness and vigilance for His return. In this parable, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise and brought extra oil for their lamps, while the other five were foolish and brought none. When the bridegroom delayed, they all fell asleep. But at midnight a cry rang out: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him'! The wise were ready, their lamps burning brightly, while the foolish had to go and buy oil. By the time they returned, the door was shut and they were left outside.
Parable of the Ten Virgins
Illustration by Annie Vallotton, from the Good News Bible. Image courtesy of Rotation.org
This parable underscores a critical spiritual truth - Christ's return will be sudden and unexpected, and only those who are prepared will enter into the joy of His kingdom. Jesus ends the parable with a powerful warning, 'Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming'. The emphasis is not on predicting the exact time of His return, but on the necessity of constant preparedness.
The imagery of the lamps and oil carries deep spiritual significance. The lamp represents our outward profession of faith - our visible life as believers. The oil, on the other hand is symbolic of the inner spiritual life - often interpreted as the Holy Spirit or a living, personal relationship with Christ. The wise virgins not only had lamps, but they had oil in reserve. They were inwardly equipped to sustain their faith and devotion, even when the wait was long and difficult. The foolish virgins, while appearing ready at first, were lacking in substance. Their unpreparedness was not just a logistical oversight - it was a spiritual deficiency. They presumed they could secure what they needed at the last minute, but true readiness cannot be borrowed or rushed. No one else can supply the oil of your faith or relationship with God - it must be your own.
Jesus' return is likened to the unexpected arrival of the bridegroom at midnight - a time when most would be asleep, unguarded and vulnerable. This suddenness is intentional. It reminds us that we must live every day as though Christ could return at any moment, not out of fear, but out of love, faith and reverence. This parable is a sobering call to live with spiritual alertness. It urges us to cultivate depth in our faith, to walk daily in the power of the Spirit and to stay awake - not just with lamps in hand, but with hearts full of oil, ready for the cry that will one day ring out, 'Behold, the Bridegroom is coming!"
This is a sobering call to believers to examine their spiritual condition. Am I merely going through religious motions or do I possess the inner oil of a genuine, ongoing walk with Christ? Am I prepared to endure whatever comes - remaining vigilant and faithful until He comes?
Lamp on a Stand
Scripture Reference Matt 5:14-15, Mark 4:21-22, Luke 8:16
The parable of the Lamp on a Stand emphasizing the idea that the light of God's truth is meant to be visible, not hidden. Jesus says, 'No one lights a lamp and hides it under a basket, but puts it on a stand, so that those who come in may see the light'. This simple image conveys a powerful spiritual truth about witness, responsibility and stewardship.
Jesus ties this metaphor directly to His followers, saying, 'You are the light of the world'. Believers are not just recipients of God's grace - they are bearers of it. The lamp is a symbol of the truth of the gospel, the light of Christ shining through the lives of those who follow Him. Just as it would be absurd to light a lamp and then cover it, it is equally unthinkable for Christians to conceal their faith or fail to live it out.
Just as a lamp's purpose is to give light; so also a Christian's purpose is to reflect Christ to the world. When we live with integrity, compassion and courage, our lives become like lamps on stands, shining light in dark places. The parable also shows that nothing hidden will remain hidden. We are accountable to God for every minute we are on this earth. The light we shine - or fail to shine - will eventually be revealed. There's both encouragement and warning here - encouragement that God's truth will ultimately shine through, and a warning that our stewardship will one day be judged.
This parable also has strong implications for stewardship. Just as we are called to be good stewards of material blessings, we are also entrusted with the spiritual light we have received. Stewardship here involves actively using the gifts, sharing the Gospel, using the knowledge and opportunities God has given us - not for personal glory, but to illuminate the lives of others. To hide the light is to waste the gift. To share it is to fulfill our calling.
This parable calls us to bold, faithful living. It challenges us to examine how we use the spiritual light we've been given - whether we hide it out of fear or shame or steward it well by letting it shine for the glory of God and the good of others.
Do I shine the light of God through my life? Or am I a closet Christian?
The Talents
Scripture Reference Matt 25:14-30
In the parable, a master prepares to go on a journey and entrusts his servants with his wealth - five talents to one, two to another and one to a third; each according to their ability. While the first two servants invest and double what they received, the third buries his talent out of fear. Upon the master's return, he commends the first two as 'good and faithful servants', rewarding them with greater responsibilities and joy in their master's presence. But the third servant, who did nothing with what he was given, is condemned as wicked and lazy and cast into outer darkness.
This is a powerful reminder that God expects His people to faithfully steward the gifts, resources and opportunities He entrusts to them. It illustrates that being prepared means not only watching but also working diligently while we wait. It teaches us that spiritual readiness is not passive. It's not enough to avoid doing wrong - we are called to actively do what is right with what we've been given. The faithful servants were not only trustworthy, but fruitful. They didn't waste time speculating when the master would return; instead, they got to work immediately, recognizing their responsibility to use what was entrusted to them wisely.
The talents in this parable can represent any number of things - spiritual gifts, natural abilities, time, influence, financial resources or opportunities to serve others. God, as the Master, distributes these not equally, but equitably - each according to his ability. The focus is not on how much we're given, but on what we do with what we've been given. This also applies to discipleship - do we preach the Gospel and give people a chance to enter relationship with Father God? Faithfulness is the standard, not comparison. The third servant's failure was not in losing the master's money but in doing nothing. His fear and distorted view of the master led to inaction, which the master interpreted as wickedness and laziness. This shows us that failing to act on what God has given us - whether out of fear, complacency or procrastination - is a serious spiritual offense. We were not created to bury our gifts but to steward them for God's glory and the good of others. We are to live with purpose, using every gift as a tool to serve, bless and build up others - always with the joyful expectation that the Master will return and reward those who served Him well.
This parable also drives home the message that Christ will return and His return will involve accountability. Every believer will one day stand before God and give an account of how they used their lives (Rom 14:12).
Will I be found faithful, having invested my time, energy and gifts into His kingdom? Or will I have wasted what was entrusted to me?
Will I one day hear Him say to me 'Well done, good and faithful servant'?
The Minas
Scripture Reference Luke 19:11-27
Jesus tells this story just before entering Jerusalem, correcting the false assumption that the Kingdom of God would appear immediately. Instead, He describes a nobleman who goes to a far country to receive a kingdom, leaving ten servants each with one mina - a modest amount of money - with the instruction, 'Do business until I come back'. When the nobleman returns, he calls the servants to account. One has multiplied his mina tenfold and is rewarded with authority over ten cities; another has gained five minas and receives five cities. But a third has done nothing with his mina, hiding it out of fear. The nobleman condemns this servant, takes away his mina and gives it to the one who had ten.
Unlike the Parable of the Talents, where each servant receives a different amount, in this story, everyone starts with the same - emphasizing that what matters is how they respond, not how much they were given. God values faithful effort, even with small or seemingly insignificant responsibilities. This parable teaches that faithfulness in small things leads to greater reward in God's kingdom. It also carries a sober warning - neglecting what God entrusts to us is not neutral - it is disobedience. The third servant's inaction cost him everything.
As followers of Christ, we are called to 'do business' with what we've been given - our time, gifts, influence and opportunities - no matter how small. Jesus is the returning King and when He comes, He will reward those who served faithfully, even in quiet, unnoticed ways. Every act of stewardship matters to God.
Do I take even small responsibilities seriously, knowing that God values how I steward all that I've received?
The Two Sons
Scripture Reference Matt 21:28-32
Jesus tells of a father who asks his two sons to work in his vineyard. The first initially refuses, but later changes his mind and goes. The second son agrees to go, but never follows through. Jesus then asks, 'Which of the two did the will of his father?' The answer is clear - the first son. This parable was spoken directly to the religious leaders of Jesus' day, who appeared outwardly obedient but rejected John the Baptist's message of repentance and, by extension, Jesus Himself. Meanwhile, tax collectors and sinners - those initially resistant to God, were turning back to Him in humility and faith.
Parable of the Two Sons
Illustration by Annie Vallotton, from the Good News Bible. Image courtesy of Rotation.org
The message of this parable is a piercing lesson about true obedience and the importance of aligning our actions with God's will - not just our words. Our actions need to line up with our words - we need to have integrity! God values authentic repentance and obedience over empty promises or religious posturing. It's not how good we look or what we say that counts - it's whether we actually do the will of the Father. The first son had a change of heart, which led to a change in behavior. This reflects the essence of repentance - turning away from disobedience and choosing to obey, even if reluctantly at first.
This is a call to honest self-examination. Are we saying the right things without doing them? Are we willing to obey God, to preach the Gospel, to live right even when it's uncomfortable? Jesus shows that even if we've said 'no' in the past, it's never too late to turn around and walk in obedience. What matters most is not how we start, but how we respond in the end.
God values authentic repentance and obedience over empty promises or religious posturing.
Obedience to God matters more than outward appearances or empty promises
Am I saying the right thing only and then not practising what I preach? Will I will let my actions align with God's will, even when it requires humility or a change of heart?
Faithful and Unfaithful Servants
Scripture Reference Matt 24:45-51, Luke 12:42-48
In the story, the master appoints a servant to oversee his household and provide for the other servants in his absence. The faithful servant does exactly that - he remains responsible, alert and diligent, even though the master's return is delayed. When the master finally returns, he finds the servant doing what he was entrusted to do. As a result, the master rewards him by placing him over all his possessions. In contrast, the unfaithful servant misuses his position and thinking that there will be no consequences, he begins to beat the other servants and indulge himself in food and drink. But the master returns unexpectedly, at an hour the servant does not anticipate and brings judgment - cutting him off and assigning him a place with the hypocrites.
How we live while waiting for Christ's return matters deeply. Faithfulness isn't measured in public displays or grand accomplishments, but in consistent, humble obedience and care for others, even when no one is watching. Jesus emphasizes that our responsibilities - whether great or small, carry eternal weight and each of us will be held accountable for how we use what has been entrusted to us. The parable also speaks directly to those in positions of influence, leadership or authority. The unfaithful servant didn't just fail to do his job - he harmed others and served himself. This warns against spiritual complacency, misuse of power and assuming God's patience means there will be no reckoning.
Jesus adds that those who know the master's will but do not prepare or act accordingly will receive greater judgment than those who were ignorant. This introduces the principle that greater knowledge brings greater responsibility - 'To whom much is given, from him much will be required' (Luke 12:48). Jesus invites us all to be faithful servants, ready at all times, living not in fear but in joyful anticipation of His return - serving well, loving others and stewarding our lives in a way that honors the Master.
This parable calls each of us to examine our lives. Am I living with a sense of purpose, serving others and managing my time, resources and responsibilities as if Jesus could return at any moment? Or am I drifting into carelessness, assuming I have time to get serious later?
Do I take even small responsibilities seriously, knowing that God values how I steward all that I've received?
The Watchful Servants
Scripture Reference Mark 13:33-37, Luke 12:35-40
These are two parables on the same theme of 'Watchful Servants'. The same is also echoed in the Parable of the Ten Virgins.
In Mark's account Jesus compares the Kingdom to a man going on a journey, leaving his house and assigning tasks to his servants, each with specific responsibilities. One servant - the doorkeeper is told explicitly to watch. Jesus then turns to His listeners and says, 'Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming... lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping'. He closes with a universal command, 'What I say to you, I say to all, Watch!'.
Along these lines in the parable in Luke's account, Jesus uses a similar image of servants who are dressed and ready, with their lamps burning, waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet. The master's return might come in the middle of the night or even toward morning, but blessed are the servants whom he finds watching. Astonishingly, Jesus says that when the master finds his servants alert and ready, he will gird himself, seat them and serve them - a shocking reversal that shows the extravagant generosity of Christ to His faithful people!
Both of these parables emphasize that the life of a disciple is not one of passive waiting, but of active watchfulness and responsible living. Watching doesn't mean staring at the sky or withdrawing from life - it means living every day with purpose, integrity and alertness to the will of God. It means doing our work well, fulfilling the Great Commission, loving others faithfully and guarding our hearts against apathy, distraction and spiritual laziness. Jesus makes it clear that His return will be sudden and unexpected. There will be no time to scramble and prepare when the moment comes. Therefore, the only wise approach is to live in a state of readiness at all times. This readiness is marked by ongoing faithfulness in whatever responsibilities we've been given - no task is too small or insignificant in the eyes of God.
Every day matters and every moment is a chance to honor our Master.
Whether we are leaders, workers, parents, students or servants in any capacity, Jesus calls us to live with urgency and expectancy. His return will come and when it does, may He find us awake, faithful and ready - serving Him with joy and devotion until the very end.
Will I will take even small responsibilities seriously, knowing that God values how I steward all that I've received?