Book: Money and
Possessions: The Quest for Contentment
Pages: 6-9
Scripture : Luke
19:12-25
Ten servants received
one mina each, according to verse 16.
The nobleman
distributed these minas before he left to receive his kingdom. My observation: Christ "distributed" His Spirit
after He ascended, so I do believe this verse confirms that the mina
represents, among other things, the Holy Spirit. Perhaps it is a stretch to say that "the
minas represent the Holy Spirit, among other things," although I'm not
quite ready to let go of that thought. Here's why: As I go about the Master's business, if I
don't rely on the Spirit Whom He has freely given, I'm sunk :-) When the Lord gives "minas"
(possessions, money, relationships, talents, abilities), He doesn't leave us
without His Spirit. So that's where my
thinking was as I looked at this passage.
The servants were to
do the nobleman's business while he was away, but the treasure/minas belonged
to the nobleman. The servants were only
stewards.
When the nobleman
returned, he called his servants for an accounting of how they conducted his
business while he was away. He had a
right to call them to account because he has given of his riches freely and had
authority over them (both the riches and the servants).
Each servant was given
more authority based on her ability and her desire to benefit the
nobleman. The one with the greatest
return received more authority (not more minas). The nobleman's total return based on the
first bondservant's stewardship was 1000% (one mina invested yielded 10
minas). His return on the second
bondservant's stewardship was 500% (one mina yielded 5 minas). So total return of 1500%. Now, that's quite a return!
The third servant was
judged only by what she falsely believed because she did not exercise any
ability nor desire to benefit the nobleman because she wrongly feared him;
instead, she put the treasure "on the shelf," in a way. She didn't use it at all for the nobleman's
benefit. Since she did not use the
nobleman's riches wisely, this third servant's mina was given to the one who
desired to benefit the nobleman by stewarding wisely what he had given her.
Oh, and
fairness!! :-) "It's not fair" is a cry often
heard today. As I've studied the
Scriptures, I only found two uses of the word
fair: (1) to describe someone's
appearance and (2) to talk about the weather.
Fairness is man's term, not
God's. God is just, not fair.
I often use this story
to describe why I believe fairness, meaning everyone should get the same thing,
is not a Scriptural principle. My sister
suffers from migraine headaches, my daughter has Type 1 diabetes, and my other
daughter suffers from Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome.
It's only fair that everyone should have these conditions, right? Of course not! Using man's logic of fairness, it certainly
would be fair because everyone would get the same thing. But when people cry "it's not
fair," really they only want to fulfill their lusts. They don't want Type 1 diabetes, migraines,
or vomiting episodes. They want more
money, more power, more of some lust that really doesn't satisfy at all, which
is why they want more. That's when the
"it's not fair" cry resounds.
So, God is not fair,
giving everyone the same thing; rather, God is just (He increases bondservants'
authority commensurate with their stewardship) and merciful (He does not give
servants what they do deserve when they have a wrong understanding of Who He
is).
Micah 6:8 comes to
mind.
In conclusion, I see three
principles:
- We will be content when we realize we're stewards, not owners.
- Those who know Him well will have some sort of return as they faithfully steward what is not theirs.
- When we are faithful to steward what the Master freely gives us, He will not necessarily "reward" us with more riches; rather, He increases our authority. Our "reward" is that we will enter into His joy (Matt 25:21), into a fuller relationship with Him.
Thank You, Lord, that
You are just, merciful, and full of grace.
Everything we have is Yours and we are simply stewards whom You will
call to give an account some day. By the
power of Your Spirit-in-us, keep us faithful stewards of whatever You choose to
give us. Strip off that grave cloth of
"it's not fair" and help us to walk with thanksgiving and be
satisfied with the lot You have chosen for us (Psalm 16:5). We trust that as we steward what You have
given us-- possessions, spiritual gifts, relationships, talents, money-- we
will bless You which will be reward enough (Genesis 15:1).
Linda
Moderator
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TruthHimself/
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