“He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much”.
Luke 16:10
Let us take the parable of ‘talents and the outlook of the three servants who received them. Matt: 25:21-25
The Master gave five talents to the first servant and two to the second servant, and one talent to the third servant. The one who has received 5 talents immediately started some business and increased it to ten talents. The second one also increased the talents to four. And the final servant who received one talent had not done anything with his money. He wasted his time also. When the master came back from his travel, he called all his servants and asked about the talents be gave. He was very happy with the first and second servants and he raised them to more responsible positions. But the third servant who had not used his talents wisely is sent out from his job and ultimately punished for being lazy. The moral of this parable is that the righteous, hard-working people will come up in their lives. Jesus Christ will bless such people for their faithful actions.
In Mathew 24: 45-51 we see a wise slave and in Luke 12:42-48 we see a sensible and faithful steward.
How these three parables affect our lives and what is the morale we can learn from this? Let us remember one thing that all these parables are narrated by our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through these parables Jesus our Master is connecting our lives to eternity, faithfulness in life, sensibility, in life, righteous living, intelligent working etc, etc. And if we fail in our lives the end will be weeping and garnishing of teeth.
I definitely feel and think eternity is much more valuable than all the money we can make or have in this world.
Are we ready for the rapture? If not, let us make the necessary corrections in our lives.
I was doing business. There was no fixed rule or norms for taking profit. Whatever came to my mouth would be my profit. At that time, I was collecting my profit share at a very minimum rate. Sometimes, I used to think of myself that I was a big fool; That is why I could not take more profit like others who were in my field. I was righteous in taking profit from my customers. I still wonder what drove me to follow such principles. In 1980 it was a lucrative business. I was running an IATA, an approved travel agency. I had got an international license and only such agencies where able to issue tickets. The IATA people were authorised to issue tickets for all the airlines in the world at that time. At the age of 65 years in 2017, I was able to sell my business for a reasonable price. I did it because I wanted to be in the Lord’s work. But in 2018 and 2019 in Kerala there were great floods. And by the end of 2019 Corona had started. The travel and tourism business in India and in the World itself came to a complete shutdown. Out of the 2900 IATA agents in India and about 275 IATA agents in Kerala, I think I was the only one escaped unhurt. I feel now that God has spared only me because I was righteous and faithful in little. I started my office with one staff and later developed (opened) three offices in different cities of Kerala with 21 staff altogether.
In 2017 1 was not able to see the worst scenario waiting from 2018 onwards. I fully believe now that God only spared me from the huge losses which others are suffering now. When I look back, I am amazed how God protects HIS children from all crises. Hallelujah.
Sol. John Philip