Responsibility

Luke 12:35-48 (The Message)

"Keep your shirts on; keep the lights on!

Be like house servants waiting for their master to come back from his honeymoon, awake and ready to open the door when he arrives and knocks.

Lucky the servants whom the master finds on watch!

He'll put on an apron, sit them at the table, and serve them a meal, sharing his wedding feast with them. It doesn't matter what time of the night he arrives; they're awake—and so blessed!

"You know that if the house owner had known what night the burglar was coming, he wouldn't have stayed out late and left the place unlocked. So don't you be slovenly and careless.

Just when you don't expect him, the Son of Man will show up."

Peter said, "Master, are you telling this story just for us? Or is it for everybody?"

The Master said, "Let me ask you: Who is the dependable manager, full of common sense, that the master puts in charge of his staff to feed them well and on time?

He is a blessed man if when the master shows up he's doing his job.

But if he says to himself, 'The master is certainly taking his time,' begins maltreating the servants and maids, throws parties for his friends, and gets drunk, the master will walk in when he least expects it, give him the thrashing of his life, and put him back in the kitchen peeling potatoes.

"The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. But if he does a poor job through ignorance, he'll get off with a slap on the hand.

Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!

A couple of nights ago, my ball team played its worst game of the year. I don't mean my softball team...I mean my team, the heart and soul of baseball for me since I was 7 years old...the Braves.

And this year, they've played more than a few bad games.

But this one was the worst.

It wasn't the worst because of the physical errors that they made. It wasn't just that they didn't hit or pitch well. It was worse.

They looked like they didn't care. They weren't paying attention.

The leftfielder didn't know how many outs there were. He thought the ball he caught was the third out, and didn't throw it back in.

It was the second out, and a run scored from third base.

The catcher didn't know the ball he caught was ball four. He tried to throw out a runner stealing third, and the ball went into the outfield. He didn't have to throw the ball, and would have kown that if he was paying attention.

But he wasn't paying attention.

And why should he? After all, the season is lost. It's the worst the team has played in 18 years.

Count 'em, e-i-g-h-t-e-e-n.

But there's still a lot to play for. In fact, for the Braves' catcher, there are a few million reasons.

That's what he gets paid to play ball. Much has been invested in him, and much is expected in return. No matter how long they play bad...no matter how little it "matters."

What about us?

It's really easy for us to get "slovenly and careless" about our lives, sometimes. This is especially true when it comes to our spiritual growth and relationship with God.

There are so many other things to do. We don't expect the master's imminent return. Why do we need to remain vigilant?

Peter asked Jesus that very question. The answer?

Much has been invested in us. "Greater gifts, greater responsibilities!"

What gift do we believe that we have received?

God loves us so much (even while we were yet sinners) that he gave his only son for us, that whoever will believe, will inherit eternal life.

What a great gift, and what an opportunity to live every day like it really, really, really matters.

Prayer: Father God, may we know and experience your gift of love first-hand today. May that great gift inspire great responsibility, and may we live this day with the respect that it deserves.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.