Luke 19:11-27

We read this passage from Luke the other day.
in the Lectio Divina style.

This means that someone reads through the passage twice while people listen for words or phrases that stand out to them, which they might share with the group. The person reads the passage again and the people pay attention for ways that the word or phrase might be relevant to their current personal state and conduct. Again, the passage is read and this time the people consider what they feel called to do or to become based on their understanding of whatever relevance they see to their life.

The translation we read is one that I'm not familiar with. I will quote it here

Luke 19:11-27

While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.' "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' "He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. "The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.' "Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.' "The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.' "His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.' "Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina, I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.' "His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn't you put mymoney on deposit so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?' "Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.' "Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!' "He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them - bring them here and kill them in front of me."

The bits that stood out to me were

'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'

and

'I will judge you by your own words'


I can understand where the last servant is coming from. Being left with something of value to work with can be really daunting. The other servants seem to have invested the money in some way, but considering the economic processes of the time, it was probably a rather risky venture. Maybe your ship comes in and you get 10 minas back (none of which is yours - you are being responsible for someone else's money ... yikes). But what if it doesn't? What if your master comes back and all you can say is, 'Oops, heh. Um. I tried investing it, but it didn't work out the way I thought it did, and I lost everything that you gave me. Yeah, that's going to sound real good. But as a friend and I were discussing the passage and talking about the symbols, it seemed like an appropriate interpretation to consider that the minas are the blessings and situations that God gives to us. And, I think he wants us to learn how to use them well to do his kind of work and to be closer to him. Thus, if I try and fail, I've only started with one mina anyway. I think he'd give me another to try again. But what am I investing it in? If I'm paying attention and investing it where the return would actually be worthwhile, then it's probably an investment in either God or his Kingdom. And one of the things I've learned about God is that if you take a step out in faith to find him or to work for his vision for the world, he will meet you there. Thus, the investment is really not so much of a risk and more of a dare. God provided the mina. He'll provide the return if you, in faith, invest it in him. And, if this is done well with small things, He will provide greater things to be responsible for. And you'll be able to handle it and appreciate it since you already know how to invest.

There's plenty of good stuff that I think I want for myself, and that it is responsible to think about and work towards, but not to obsess over. I have also been given smaller things to be responsible for. And if I can't take care of the small things, I cannot hope to successfully deal with the larger things. Sometimes the small things seem like minor distractions from the more obviously important things. But, it's good to deal with small things and not to rush the important-looking things before you can handle them.
And since I know that, I can hardly expect God to show me leniency in not being responsible in those ways ...

Here are a few other thoughts our group had


Practice being faithful with a little. Much more is no good if you can't handle it. There is no shortcut [to being responsible and being given large things].

Jesus expects things. Use what you're given. Not doing so is not an option.

We don't have to conjure up our own things. We should pray that he gives us something to invest.

God is King whether we want it or not.

God is not coming back to see how I'm doing.
(A response to the King coming back to receive the money that he left to be put to work in his absence)