“The least” is the easiest person to overlook; they make the smallest contribution, yet they have the greatest needs. The least could be someone who is poor and unattractive, someone shy and friendless, someone disabled or deformed, someone always in trouble, someone not bright, pleasant, or considerate. The least is the person who can be ignored without suffering personal loss or damage to the institution. The least can disappear and no one misses them or asks what happened to them.

The Lord Jesus was not interested in good deeds performed for important people; there is no reward for a kindness shown to a superior. Jesus’ heart is for the least important people, for they are his brothers and sisters. In fact, his concern for them is so great, he is willing to stake our eternal destiny on our care for them. At the end of this parable, whether we march into life or are thrown in the fire depends on our treatment of the least.

Where in the gospels do we find Jesus telling us, “You must receive Me into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior?” What we hear him say is, “Feed the hungry, help the stranger, clothe the naked, visit those who are sick and in prison. Take care of My brothers and sisters, especially the least among them.”

Forgive us, O Lord, for being so enthralled by wealth and beauty, for catering to the whims of the high and mighty while turning our backs on the weak and lowly. We watch You touch the leper, show compassion to the blind, and take time for the children to hold them in Your arms. Open our eyes to the person we have trained our minds to not see. Create in us an eagerness for that next opportunity to do something for You by doing it for the least of Your brothers or sisters.

Jesus measures the work he gives us, matching our resources to our ability. He will not demand of us anything we cannot give him nor will he set us up to fail. If our ability is equal to two talents, he will not give us five; if our ability is limited to one, he will not give us two. But if he gives us one, he knows we are able to produce something more with it.

We cannot concern ourselves with the resources Jesus has given to other believers or envy their talents. If he knows they are capable of doing and managing more than we can do or manage, then we can trust his wisdom, accept our humble role, and rejoice in the successes of those whose work in God’s kingdom is greater than our own.

The first slave was wise to “immediately” put his talent to work. The absence of the master is what creates the tension and temptation in the story. It is also what makes the present moment so critical, because once the master returns (v. 19) and the door is shut (v. 10), there will be no more opportunity to make something of this life. We do not want to die with money in the bank, unwritten books in our minds, or unfulfilled intentions to do good in our hearts.

O Lord, it is clear that mere talent or money is not Your primary concern and that You have already given us everything we need to please You. We learn from Your teaching that the “real deal” is not the person who works wonders, but the person who does good for others. Walk with us, Lord, and when we are tempted to be “wicked” or “lazy,” bring someone our way who can use our love and help.

In this passage, Jesus tells the first of three stories that illustrate and illuminate the last section of Matthew 24. Ten virgins took their lamps and ventured into the night to meet the bridegroom. When he arrived, he was going to usher them into the wedding feast. But then Jesus introduced a complication into the story, “the bridegroom was delaying.”

The bridegroom’s late arrival exactly describes our experience. Although Jesus told the disciples that no one knew the “day or hour” of his return, they certainly expected it to happen in their lifetime (Mt. 24:32; Acts 1:6). Many of Jesus’ predictions in Matthew 24 were fulfilled within forty years of his death and resurrection. But other predictions, now some two thousand years later, remain unfulfilled.

When someone is a little late for an appointment, we get impatient. If they are very late, we get worried. If they are unreasonably late, we give up hope that they will ever arrive. When Jesus told this parable, did he know a day would come when many would despair of his return? If so, what is he telling us? Just this, that it is our wisdom to adjust to the tension of our situation by behaving as if he were going to return tonight and preparing as if he will not return in our lifetime.

O Jesus, we are relieved that You did not find fault with the ten women for falling asleep, but only with the five for not being “on the alert.” To our way of thinking, it seems You should have arrived by now. It seems that our prayers for enlightenment to Your will, a stronger resistance to sin, and a closer relationship with You should have been answered by now. Give us grace to live with delays without losing our edge or missing the opportunities to notice Your daily movements through our world when You do pass our way.

Jesus made a point of emphasizing that the hour of his coming was not only unknown, but that it would arrive unexpectedly (Mt. 24:36, 44). For that reason, his disciples had to live “on the alert.” How does a person do that? How can we prepare ourselves for an event that will occur exactly when we do not think it will? The answer comes down to how we treat others and it is illustrated in Jesus’ parable of the faithful and evil slaves.

Drawing a contrast between the two slaves, Jesus said the faithful slave feeds others, the evil slave feeds himself; the faithful slave acts responsibly, the evil slave abuses his fellow slaves; the faithful slave keeps the will of his master in mind, the evil slave assumes the master will be gone so long that his will is irrelevant; the good slave receives his master’s blessing, the evil slave receives punishment.

Although Jesus knew he would be gone from his disciples for “a long time,” it is obvious that he wanted them to always keep him in mind. True lovers never forget each other, even when separated by thousands of miles for months or years. They cherish memories, keepsakes, and photographs, and correspond as frequently as possible. In a similar way, Jesus desired to leave on our souls an impression of himself that would keep the flame of our heart burning for him, even through the long years of waiting to be united with him.

It is Your pleasure, Lord Jesus, to show Your love to all the world and to do so through those who know You. Grant us Your grace, O Savior, to be the faithful servants who do not beat others, but feed them and do not abuse others, but heal them in Your name. May people discover through our lives, actions and words, the infinite love of the Father, the eternal mercy of the Son, and the never failing grace of the Spirit.