Title: Fruit of the Holy Spirit (Loyalty)
Contents
Hymn: New Hymn No. 528 'The Voice of Jesus Calling Us'
Meditation: Be a bearer of the fruit of loyalty… .
Text: “… Take one talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents… ” (Matthew 25:14-30)
In verses 16 and 17 of the text, it says, “He went right away and buried himself.” It means doing it with joy. He was able to do so because of his overflowing love for his master. The heart of the faithful is grateful for what has been received. On the other hand, if you have a heart to complain about your master, you will never be loyal. Loyalty means not being lazy. In verse 26, he says, “the wicked and lazy servant”. To be evil is to be lazy. It is evil to just bury the talents in the ground without using the talents the Lord has given them.
'Laziness' is another word for 'to be busy with the wrong thing'. It matters what you are busy with. Don't waste your time on useless things. Many people spend their time just watching and having fun. For most modern people, fun has become an idol. With the 5-day workweek system, weekend holidays have become the 'purpose of existence'. What if the talents given to me were given to someone else? Am I squandering opportunities that would have worked hard if given to others by laziness?
You can't just hold on to your position. It must bear fruit with zeal and loyalty. If there is no fruit, we must pray a penitential prayer, saying, “I am an evil and lazy servant.” In everything, an ending is important. When we do our best to the end and bear the fruits of loyalty, the Lord rewards us.
In verse 21, the master invites the faithful servant to participate in 'the joy of the master'. This verse tells us that we are no longer slaves. It talks about being treated on an equal footing with the owner. It is to sit down at a feast with the owner. And the master did not intercept what the servant had left, but gave it to the servant. God has given us the opportunity to work to share His glory with us. Therefore, a person who is faithful to the opportunity given to him is a blessed person. To be faithful, you need wisdom and strength from the Lord.
Prayer: My resolve alone is not enough. Pray first for wisdom and strength from You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Lord's Prayer