Given More

As they were listening to this, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. So he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.’ He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’ Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ He said to him, ‘And you, rule over five cities.’ Then the other came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’ He said to the bystanders, ‘Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ (And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) ‘I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.’” Luke 19:11-27 

I grew up in a community where some of my neighbors had everything and then some. My parents very little yet they. found ways to give us what we needed and taught us how to be good stewards of what we were given. As a child I wondered why some people are blessed with so much and others have to struggle for their daily bread. I struggled with the notion of the inequities in the world, and still do. I have come to realize, though, that we are entrusted with much and blessed with many gifts and we are invited to put them to good use.

Jesus is facing his final trials and tells his disciples this parable of the harsh ruler. It is a hard parable to understand, yet we are invited to enter into the rough places of real life. The parable is not about God but about our gifts and fears. There is much to fear in life, yet we are invited to use the gifts we have and to use the little we have for good. We can live in fear. We are invited instead to build up, to encourage and to invest every skill we are given without fear, trusting that God will supply the increase.

Today I ask god to help me set aside my fears and offer my gifts and skill for the good of others. May we invest in the things that matter -love, inclusion and justice- so that we might all be generously blessed.