Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, March 14, 2025
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
This theme about privilege and having enough continues today. As I’ve written the past couple of days, I have more than enough—I live fairly minimally and enjoy an embarrassment of riches: abundant, healthy food, health insurance and good medical care, warm clothes (essential in Minnesota), a roof over my head, a solid, working vehicle, and my beloved MacBook (which is my livelihood). Do I have a big house? Fancy car? Designer clothes? A personal chef and gourmet food? Expensive vacations? Um, no. But does that mean God doesn’t “expect” anything from me? Um, no again. I have so much and therefore so much to give. I support my church community financially (humbly, to be certain, but something), and I give my time and talent as much as I can (my capacity is sometimes not what I’d like, but, again, it’s something). We give according to our ability. But we have to be honest about what our ability is.
Social science research has shown that almost everyone, no matter how much money they have, believes they don’t have enough. Whether they’re making six or seven or eight figures annually, whether they have a net worth of a million or a hundred million or a billion. They all believe that if they just had x amount more, then they would have enough. And it’s all delusional—a pervasive societal mental illness.
I won’t get into what I believe other people “should” do with their money. It’s not my business. All I will say is that we, as individuals, are called to look honestly at what we have and ask ourselves whether we are in a state of trust that God’s got us, that we have more than enough, and then determine what God is asking of us—financially, physically, emotionally, spiritually—and be willing to give it.
How much have I been entrusted with? How much ought I to be giving back?
