Last Tuesday evening, our Ladies’ Bible Class was studying the parable of the ten virgins and the talents from Matthew 25. Five wise and five foolish virgins awaited the coming of the bridegroom. When he was delayed Matthew says, “they all slumbered and slept” (Matthew 25:5 KJV). The ESV says, “they all became drowsy and slept.”
We found this verse interesting because it tells us that they all failed to stay awake. It was not just the foolish girls that drifted off to sleep, but they all napped and then fell completely asleep. Once the bridegroom arrived, the five wise prepared their lamps. Though they did not watch consistently, they were ready at the bridegroom’s coming and were allowed to enter into the wedding feast.
The parable of the talents follows this parable; and we see three servants, each given an amount of money based on his ability (Matthew 25:15). The first servant increased his five talents to ten. The second increased his two talents to four. The third buried his one talent. When the master returned, each had to account for the talents he had been given. Needless to say, the master was not pleased with the one-talent man. His master called him “a wicked and slothful servant” (verse 26).
In the case of the ten virgins, five of them left home prepared for the unexpected. They had extra oil just in case there was a delay. The five foolish girls did not prepare for the unexpected, and they wanted the five wise to share with them. In the story of the talents, two of the servants made preparation for the return of the master. The one-talent man is caught being unproductive and is rebuked for his neglect. He responds by accusing the master of being harsh and expecting too much from him. He accuses the master of expecting gain where there was no labor. This man was negligent, but he tries to put the blame on the master.
The master turns the servant’s own words on him. He basically tells him that if he really felt that he was harsh, there were ways he could have earned something from the amount he gave him. He could have made an effort to increase his one talent with probably less effort than digging up the ground and burying the talent.
At the end of the chapter, Jesus talks about the judgment. This is the explanation for the parables He has just told them. He lays out the necessity for seeing need for preparation and doing what can be done to be as prepared as possible. In other words, be intentional about serving.
The five wise virgins were intentional in their preparation. The five-talent and two-talent servants were intentional in using their abilities to show their devotion to their master.
When I think about intentionally serving God, I think of Joshua. As he stood before the people of God, he spoke these words. “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
No matter what the situation, we make a choice. We decide to obey God or to serve the world. It is prudent for us to make the choice before the situation arises. When we do that, it makes it so much easier when the time comes to make that choice.
Intentionally serving God puts the responsibility exactly where it needs to be—on us. Making the choice to resist temptation before we are tempted makes the temptation easier to resist. But there is another side to intentional obedience, and we have situations in scripture that show that good intentions don’t always work.
Take Peter for instance. He intended to stand with Jesus. When Jesus told the disciples they would all leave Him, Peter said, “I will never fall away” (Matthew 26:33). His intention was to stand with Jesus, but we know he ran away in the Garden when Jesus was arrested, and he denied Jesus three times.
Earlier in Jesus’ ministry a rich young man approached Him and asked what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus explained that he needed to keep the commandments (the Law of Moses). Jesus then told him that he needed to sell what he owned, give it to the poor, and come follow Him (Matthew 19:16-22). The young man walked away. Though his intention had been to determine how to go to heaven, he found the price was just too high.
It is important that we intentionally strive to please God. Paul said, ”Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (First Corinthians 10:12). Our intentions may be to do right, but the reality is that we are human. We do sin. But Paul continues with hope for those who intentionally want to serve God. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (First Corinthians 10:13).
Sandra Oliver