45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ [g] 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 24:45-51
God has called me to the incredible vocation of wife and mother. I can truly say that this is exactly what I want to be doing with my life and I am so thankful and privileged to be able to do it.
But I need to actually do it.
The faithful and wise servant in this parable is constantly working at his calling because he knows that the Lord's return is imminent and he does not want to be caught being lazy when his Master comes calling. The evil servant knows that its going to be a while before the Master returns, so he does whatever his heart pleases. He then gets caught off guard because he wasn't looking for the Master.
Holy Week is geared toward getting our minds focused on the coming of our Bridegroom, our Master, our Savior. During this week especially, the great majority of our mental and even physical energy is spent in preparation for Pascha. I think this is why we read the Olivet Discourse during this time.
This passage hit me even more close to home this morning. I am sooooo often more like the evil servant- procrastinating my duties and engaging in the "fruits of my labors" before I have actually, you know, labored. I mean, who doesn't like to eat desert first? But I think Jesus is calling me to be busy in my vocation and calling BECAUSE I do not know the day or the hour of His return. I would be MORTIFIED if he came to my door and found me on Facebook while dirty dishes sat unwashed in the sink.
Please, please know that I am speaking of myself here and my own particular issues with sloth and self-discipline. I am not saying that anyone's home needs to be perfectly clean or that hanging out on Facebook or reading/writing blogs or whatever is wrong in any way. My own tendency is to do these things first and then put off my duties- my very calling- until it feels convenient for me.
And that is not at all the way I want to live my life.
I love the idea of being busy about my Father's business because Jesus is returning soon. Working out my salvation (out, not for!) within my vocation prepares my soul for eternity and union with Christ. My vocation is God's particular design for my particular soul- He knows my frame!- and He knows that this life that He has given me is exactly what I need to prepare for my Bridegroom. And I long for Him, down to my very bones.
I'd better get busy!
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