Be Ready

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
Luke 12:35–48
+
Be Ready
The Boy Scouts have as their motto, “Always Be Prepare.” It is a reminder to continuously strive to improve and to equip yourselves for whatever situation you might find yourself in. We as Christians should also be ready. We should equip ourselves with God’s Word to combat the attacks of the devil. We should position ourselves to be able to faithfully carry out our responsibilities to God and to our neighbor. This is especially true of those who are in positions of leadership. Jesus urges those in positions of leadership to faithfully discharge their duties. Following worldly examples, Christian leaders too often approach their positions in terms of privilege rather than in terms of responsibility. Jesus’ example of self-sacrifice, however, underscores the shallowness of such attitudes. We are moved to follow His way of humble service because He was willing to endure all things for us, that we might share in His privileges. May we never boast in our own doings but only in that of our Lord and in His death. Let us leave behind that which would lead us astray and cling firmly to the cross, there to be washed in the blood of the Lamb.