Trusted

Can you leave someone in charge and feel comfortable they will do the right thing?

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 wicked slave says to himself, "My master is delayed," and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 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. He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Today's Gospel reading is all about trust.  Trust is not easy.

No matter what situation we find ourselves in, there comes a time when we need to rely on someone else to do what we need done.

I would venture to guess that most of us would fear having made the wrong choice, having chosen the one who is not trustworthy, the one we find drunk and unproductive.

So, we would probably be reluctant to leave someone else in charge, unless we were already sure the person was trustworthy and dedicated.

God doesn't work that way, it seems.  He gives us all a chance, whether we have proven ourselves worthy or not.

God starts from a position of trust and leaves the final judgment in our hands.

If we do the right thing, we prove ourselves worthy. 

The cost of such trust could be huge.  Letting someone take charge who is not a proven entity could have dire consequences. 

So, I guess that is the message for us, for those of us with a job to do and people we could rely on to do it for us.

At some point, we need to trust someone to do our work, and take the responsibility for what they do.

If we are not willing to do that, what does it say about us? 

God became man to show us the way to take care of those He wants cared for.  If we fail to do anything but eat and drink and be merry, He may not be happy when He comes again.

It is something to consider as we await His coming.

More to come...