Title: Proper Perspective/Topic: Accountability

Today’s Reading: Genesis 29; Genesis 30; Luke 12

Scripture: Luke 12:42-46
42 The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

Observation: The Lord contrasts two managers and their actions in the face of a long delay in having to be accountable to the Master who they serve. One manager continues to fulfill his duties with responsibility and the other slacks off completely, thinking he can behave as he wants to and “clean up his act” before the Master returns. But Jesus says that the master will come unexpectedly and will deal harshly with that lazy and wicked servant, even assigning him a place with those who haven't known him at all (the unbelievers). It's a severe warning to those in the Church to be vigilant and to keep doing what we have been taught is right and not to live to please our flesh nature.

Application: It is easy to neglect our responsibilities, especially if we have no one we have to be accountable to for our actions. We need to heed these warnings of Jesus and to establish our own structure for accountability so that we do not fall into the trap of living to please ourselves and chance being caught unaware (either by death or by the coming of the Lord, which can happen at any time). We cannot afford to become lazy servants who take the work the Lord has given us to do for granted, thinking that we have all the time in the world to get it done, or even worse, thinking that the work is unimportant.

Prayer: I admit Lord, that I sometimes have “What's the use?” attitude toward life. If I don't see the results that I want in what I deem a “reasonable” time, I have a tendency to slack off and not maintain my spiritual fervor. I need to spend more time with you, for your Spirit encourages and enables me to keep going through hard times until I come again to times of fruitfulness. May I never grow weary in doing good. I want to be that servant of whom you say, “Well done!”
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.