Being ready
The Faithful and Wise Servant
Also called The Servant Left in Charge
A servant put in charge of the household either feeds them or beats them while the master is away.
What it turns on
Addressed to leaders. The question is what you do with authority when nobody is watching.
45“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?
46Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.
47Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.
48But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’
49and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards,
50the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it, and in an hour when he doesn’t know it,
51and will cut him in pieces, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.
World English Bible, public domain. Read the whole chapter →
Told again in another gospel
The same parable, recorded differently. The differences are worth reading, not smoothing over.
Luke 12:42-48Read it
42The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?
43Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes.
44Truly I tell you, that he will set him over all that he has.
45But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken,
46then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’t expecting him, and in an hour that he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.
47That servant, who knew his lord’s will, and didn’t prepare, nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes,
48but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.
More on being ready
The Sheep and the GoatsNations are divided by what they did for the hungry, the sick, the imprisoned.The Ten VirginsTen wait for a bridegroom. Five brought extra oil. Five did not, and the door closes.The TalentsThree servants are given money to manage. Two invest it. One buries his in the ground.The Ten MinasA nobleman leaves money with ten servants before traveling to be made king.