Letting Loose

Today's reading is about all of us procrastinators out there.

Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?" And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. But if that slave says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. - Luke 12:41-48

Well, maybe it isn't about procrastinating as much as it is about taking advantage of a situation, especially a void of authority.

Remember in school when the teacher was called out of the classroom for a moment?  What did we do?  Did we sit quietly and wait for her return?

Some did, or tried, but there was always one who saw that as an opportunity to make noise, throw erasers, pull the hair of the girl in the seat in front, or just be obnoxious.

Funny, but we don't see it as being obnoxious at the time, do we?

The absence of authority is permission to let loose, for some, that is.

But what about Peter's question?  Jesus doesn't directly answer it, does he?

I wonder if in the end, Peter is even more confused.  Knowing that more will be demanded of the one to whom more is entrusted may make him sorry he asked.

But this is how it works with God.  The more we do, the more God trusts us to do.

No wonder some avoid doing anything.

The way I look at it is this.  You have to have passion to do God's work.  Then it won't feel like work, and as Jesus says, your burden will be light.

More to come...