Unmasked | Gifted | Give an Account

“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account…”  Matthew 25:19 

“What? He’s here?” Judah scrambled to his feet and his eyes swept the disheveled room as though seeing it for the first time.  His roommates were frantically stuffing trash into garbage bags and barking commands at each other. “Hide the cracked TV!” Pete shouted. “And who’s been stuffing leftovers in the couch cushions!” Sunlight flashed off the windshield of a limousine as it rolled into the drive. Judah’s heart sank into his boss’s Italian loafers, now scuffed and stained on his feet. He’d had the chance of a lifetime, house sitting for a billionaire. His future career rested on this responsibility and he’d blown it. They’d all known the boss would return, but thought they had plenty of time. Now he was here. They were caught. It was too late. 

Jesus warned us that He would return in the same way. “When you least expect it,” He said. But we think we have plenty of time. So we goof off, squander our resources, and ignore the gifts he invested in us. We live for ourselves, disregard His commands, and assume we’ll get serious about it one of these days. And then it’s too late. Disaster strikes. Illness takes over. Old age surprises us and we realize with sorrow that the gifts once entrusted to us have shriveled from lack of use. Every one of us will give an account to our Master for what we did with what was entrusted to us. He expects interest on His investment, but not in worldly currency. He invests material gifts for the purpose of spiritual return and will require that we answer for it.

Final Thought:  When Jesus calls you to give an account of how you invested your life, will He be pleased or disappointed?
Prayer: Jesus, this scares me a little. Am I investing all you’ve given me for your purposes? I want to live my life with eternity in mind. May I become intentional about not squandering any more of your investment on things with no lasting value.  Amen.