Luke 19:13 There was once a man descended from a royal house who needed to make a long trip back to headquarters to get authorization for his rule and then return. But first he called ten servants together, gave them each ten servants together, gave them each a sum of money, and instructed them, 'Operate with this until I return.'
Last week's sermon was the metaphor of talent. I listened very closely as I have been meditating about talent for pretty long time as I picked up painting again, in mixed with photography. There was an important part of this passage that I did not know; here, the 'money,' or 'talent,' that is from the original work called 'mina,' which was the currency name back then. The preacher said this actually means beyond just money and talent, but a 'life.'
Meaning, the man who descended from the royal family going back to hometown to receive kingship is Jesus, and he gives us 'life' to 'operate with them until he returns.' I used to think limited in terms of talent which are more of skills such as creativity, wealth, or any kind of born-with-abilities that we could make career of. However, this is actually the new 'life' that Jesus gives as when we accept him as our ruler of our lives. Unfortunately, just as Jews rejected Jesus, on verse 14, the servants hated him and did not want him to receive the kingship. They wanted themselves to rule their own lives, or, let the world and the people of authority to rule them so they could be comfortable and enjoy the security that the world gives.
The life itself that we are living today, the day that I have been giving today, is what Jesus gave us to share and flourish before he returns. He already has received the Kingship from the father of heaven. But I seem to forget that this day, this life, is for something better in the future. I get lazy and procrastinate thinking I do not need to put too much effort because I do not want Jesus to RULE over my today. Then I lay around, worrying, being busy for nothing, merely thinking about uncertain future, or just becoming negative about my present environment, and eventually at the end of the day I realize- I have lost that 'life' today. And sadly, to the one who kept the money in a fabric and did nothing with it, the royal man returns and becomes mad and takes away that one money. Given to the one who already made ten out of one. Yes. Pretty clear conclusion. The life is not ours, so if we do not make a good living for Jesus, the owner takes it away at the end of the life when he returns. There is not much time to linger around doing nothing with our lives- we have to live this present as we take small responsibilities that is already given today, and also wait for God to really open doors in our lives.
I encourage you to get out of that drowned past of hurt and doubt. That just works when the darkness wants to drag you down so you don't life that 'life' that Jesus gave you before he left. It's so simple. Darkness is so glad that you are still hurt, scared, and feared. Unfortunately it means you are still in the dark, not the light. It's just either or thing here in Christianity. It's either dark or light. But the ultimate master gave us something called life, to live, flourish, and exceed- so we could love our God and our neighbor until Jesus returns again. Get up. Get out of the dark bed of death and move out to the light. Grab your day whatever is in your room, read the bible, or hold the guitar, cook in the kitchen, pray, sing, or simply create. Act upon the things that are already surrounded in you, then God will also start working. He is waiting for you.