Meditation
Good morning, Reader,
It's one (very important) thing to have planned and to have communicated our intentions. But it's also vitally important to determine thoughtfully who will diligently execute them.
The executor, trustee, or fiduciary is legally responsible for making sure your wishes become reality, not just good intentions. Theirs is a serious and sometimes onerous calling. Especially if the plan has not been openly discussed before.
Today's passage is a guide on how to make this decision. It is the familiar Parable of the Talents.
A master entrusts his servants with resources before a long journey, and what matters most when he returns isn't how much each servant started with; it's whether they were faithful with what they were given.
The takeaway here is that your fiduciary doesn't need to be your richest friend or your most senior relative.
They need to be faithful and trustworthy with your wishes. This is a decision people often make by default: the oldest child, the closest relative, rather than by asking who has actually proven, in small things, that they can be trusted with much.
Today's verses are Matthew 25:14-23. Today's passage is longer, so I have highlighted the key verses for an abbreviated version.
The Parable of the Bags of Gold
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more.17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.
Come and share your master’s happiness!’
Encouragement
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!
Proverbs 16:16
Andy
God's Word In Your Hand