In Matthew 25, we find three parables told by Jesus to illustrate just how important it is that we live within the commissioning that He has given to us. If we have accepted Him, received Him as our Lord, our Master and our Savior, then there is a life, a distinct life, that comes as a result of that decision. To abandon that commissioning is to abandon the calling, and to abandon the calling is to leave grace behind as if it is something insignificant to us, something unimportant.

In the first parable, we find the ten virgins, all invited to a wedding, all given the same task. Five come prepared, they have the oil they need for their lamps, they trim their wicks so it doesn’t burn out too fast, and they are prepared when the bridegroom arrived. The other five are not prepared, they burn through their oil quickly and must go out in the dark of night to seek out more. By the time they arrive, the bridegroom has arrived and taken in those who were found ready.

“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ “

The first five took their task seriously, they lived out their calling, and they were received into what was promised.

The second is the familiar parable of the talents. Again, the first two servants take the money given to them by their master, they put it to work and have something to show for their efforts when he returns. They are rewarded accordingly. The third servant was afraid of offending his master, and afraid of messing up, so he just hid his money in the ground, denying the call put on him.

‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Again, we see that taking our calling seriously truly does matter. We cannot live like there is no call on our hearts, no great commission. We cannot live distracted by everything else the world throws in our faces, neglecting our precious calling, and expect that our Master is going to be pleased with us when we return.

In the third parable, Jesus talks about separating the sheep ep from the goats. And as we read through the parable, thinly veiled as it is, what do we find? What is it that pleases our Lord?

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

And so, it comes as no surprise that when we live our lives according to our calling, being responsible with our gifts and commissioning, that our Master is going to be pleased with us, and that our hearts will mirror His own. Because again, and this cannot be over stated, we are saved by grace through faith, not by works. But the works of our faith stand as evidence that it it living and active within us. When we love as we were first loved, serving others, teaching others and equipping them for the sake of the Gospel, then we are living out the heart of Christ. And that love stands as proof of our faith every day. The five faithful virgins were found faithful because they had their heart in their task and position. The two faithful servants were found faithful because they revered their master, and they did what was required by him out of reverence. The sheep who were called by The Lord were called and identified as such because they lived out the love given to them by considering others, and serving them first. Not one of these actions saved them, but they stood as evidence that they were living according to the Master’s call.

We must live, and should desire to do so, according to our calling and commissioning because of the love shown to us. To daily GoLove as Christ is the marker of our faith. To deny that is to deny our faith. To behave as if Christ’s calling is optional, or as if it isn’t even important, is a foolish enterprise. Selfish pride is not a marker of love. Selflessness, humility and love for others stand as true testimony of God’s handiwork in all of us.

(Matthew 25:10-12, 28-30, 34-40 NIV)