Entrusted

We are given a special responsibility as Children of God.

He began to tell the people this parable: 'A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to tenants, and went to another country for a long time. - Luke 20:9

There is a common theme that runs through some of the parables of Jesus, and it has to do with being entrusted with treasure or property of value.

Those entrusted fall into the trap of wanting for themselves, and thus disobeying the one who owns the property.

If we see all we have been given as God's, then the message is clear.  We should treat it as His and not ours, being willing to give back from our gains.

But somewhere along the way, we forget that we are stewards and not owners.

In today's reading, Jesus uses this example to show us how the prophets were rejected and abused, and shows us that He too will be rejected, even to death.

We are supposed to see ourselves in this story and recognize our own rejections of God and His will.

But do we?

I think we tend to see these parables as stories of a time, not related to us, not for us to question and discuss.

That is a mistake we shouldn't make.  We are also entrusted with God's kingdom and it is up to us to maintain it, make it fruitful, share in its harvest, and give back to God what is God's.

We hear about stewardship a great deal at this time of year, as our houses of worship seek to bring in the harvest of a year of toiling and nurturing the Word.

Will we remember our responsibility and give from the first fruits, or will we look to hand over the left overs?

Maybe we should read the parables again.

More to come...