The More You Know

Scripture: The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:47-48

Observation: As Jesus is giving warnings about his return - parables about the future day when the master will return to see if his servants are doing his will or not - Peter asks a question in verse 41 ... "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?". Jesus doesn't respond. However, his parable shifts. He changes from a general discussion of servants awaiting and being prepared for the return of the master, to a more specific conversation about managers who are not only ill-prepared, but actually ill-treating the other servants.

In the former case, ill-prepared servants will not receive a reward. In the latter case, misbehaving masters will be severely punished. Jesus then clarifies in verse 47-48, and in this way we find he has addressed Peter's question, but by clarifying his pronouns ... 'us' and 'everyone'. 'Us' isn't the disciples while 'everyone' is everyone else. 'Us' is all who have received God's word, and 'everyone' is the collective ignorant of the world who do not know God.

Believers are the servants of the master. As we have been given much, our service is expected. For the managers to whom much has been given, even more is expected. Yet as for the ignorant who know nothing of God, very little is expected.

Application: I have known this for some time ... the more I understand about Jesus' teachings and God's love, the more I am expected to serve in the context of that knowledge. This, of course, makes my failings now much worse than the failings of my youth, when it is more accurate to say I only had one failing ... rejection of Jesus as Lord and savior. Yes, that's a big one, but once overcome the expectations for my life are not different.

And I am improving, or at least actively pursuing improvement. I strive to be a servant doing the will of my master, not knowing the day or time of his return, but sincerely trying to be found doing his work when he arrives. I know more and more about Jesus, and I desire to be more and more prepared as a result.

Prayer: Lord, you have placed new ideas on my heart, and I hope to embrace those teachings in the days and months to come. I do hope you return soon. Amen.