Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.”
NL Daily Devotion for Monday, March 22, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
This version of the parable of the talents has this intro sentence which makes its meaning obvious. But it’s no less difficult to read, as it portrays a punishing God who wreaks vengeance on those who do not carry the gospel into the world and multiply the believers. Is there more to be gleaned?
As I have been writing these devotions this month, I keep getting brought back and back to this idea of the kingdom of God already being here. That concept of “the already and the not yet.” The landowner (God/Jesus) went away for awhile and left us in charge of the valuables. What will we have done with it when Jesus gets back?
Except that Jesus is back. Is here, in the here and now. While we can speak of an ultimate return, a la Revelation, the fact of the matter is that we are living in the already as well as the not yet. So my question is this: What are we doing with the valuables right now? I for one don’t believe that when Jesus comes back it will be to exact vengeance on anyone who didn’t follow God’s instructions perfectly. Quite the opposite, in fact. So in that case, why on earth would I even think about burying God’s message of redemptive-love-through-the-action-of-doing-justice? Unless, of course, I didn’t actually want God’s kingdom to come in the here and now, because it benefits me if it doesn’t come. Now, that wouldn’t be a decision made out of fear, as was the case in the parable, but out of audacious willfulness. (And I still don’t think Jesus would wreak vengeance on such a person, but we can argue about that elsewhere).
Yeah. I guess I’m going to stop trying to make this parable fit my own worldview (at least here), and turn my attention to doing what I can with what’s been entrusted to me. ‘Nuff said.
Gracious God, inspire me to use what you’ve given me to bring your kingdom of justice, grace, mercy, and love everywhere I go. Amen.
