"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
"At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
"‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’"
"At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
"‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’"
~ Matthew 25:1-9
The response of the wise virgins to the foolish virgins sounds rude and selfish, doesn’t it? I’ve often wondered about that and this morning, I saw something different.
The wise virgins couldn’t give their oil to the foolish in the same way I cannot give my faith to another person. Jesus Christ paid the price and he is the only one who can offer each person their own portion of faith.
Faith is being sure of something that we cannot yet see with our physical eyes (Hebrews 11:1). With faith there is a sense of waiting and watching with great expectation. Faith is exciting. It’s not flippant. It’s not something you forget about until you decide you want some.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. ~ Hebrews 11:6
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. ~ Matthew 25:13
The wise virgins couldn’t give their oil to the foolish in the same way I cannot give my faith to another person. Jesus Christ paid the price and he is the only one who can offer each person their own portion of faith.
Faith is being sure of something that we cannot yet see with our physical eyes (Hebrews 11:1). With faith there is a sense of waiting and watching with great expectation. Faith is exciting. It’s not flippant. It’s not something you forget about until you decide you want some.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. ~ Hebrews 11:6
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. ~ Matthew 25:13
1 comment:
How wonderfully insightful. I have always thought the first five knew something. To say they were rude really doesn't explain it. But faith...wow. It puts it in a whole new light. (ok, pun intended!) It gives me a whole new angle to ponder when I read this parable. Thank you for sharing your amazing insight.
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