21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant?

What if your friend asked you to watch over his home while he was away on an extended trip? You would make sure the doors were locked, the lawn was cut, and the mail was taken in. It wouldn’t matter that the house and its belongings weren’t yours. You’d act as if they were because they belonged to your friend.

That’s the way the faithful and prudent servant acted in Jesus’ parable. He wasn’t the owner of the household or its goods, but he treated them as if he were. That’s how seriously he took his job and how much he respected his master.

Like this faithful and prudent servant, we are all servants of the Lord. We don’t really own anything—it has all come to us from the hand of God. And in that sense, we are not just God’s servants; we are also his stewards, which is how Luke describes the servant in his version of this parable (12:42). God has entrusted everything to us, and our job as stewards is to use and manage our possessions, our time, and our talents for his purposes and glory. That requires us to be both faithful and prudent.

So who is God’s faithful servant? It’s someone who can be counted on to be where he needs to be and to do what needs to be done. His Master doesn’t have to worry that this servant will ignore his instructions or not have his best interests at heart. God’s desires are always foremost in his mind, and so he seeks to discern his Father’s plans for the things he has been entrusted with.

And who is God’s prudent servant? It’s someone who doesn’t let her time, talents, or possessions go to waste. Instead, she seeks to use them to advance God’s kingdom on earth. She doesn’t act impulsively or rashly, either, but first considers the options before her and then tries to choose the best one.

Today, consider everything that God has entrusted to you. Thank him for his confidence in you, and then ask him if there are any ways you could be a better steward of his gifts. Every step you take, no matter how small, will make you ever more ready for the Master’s return!

“Jesus, show me how to be faithful and prudent in all things.”

1 Thessalonians 3:7-13
Psalm 90:3-5, 12-14, 17
Matthew 24:42-51