Keep on Caring
Imagine This
Imagine the owner of a small business leaves town on a buying trip. He’s going to some really remote places, so he’s not sure how long it will take. Before he goes, he puts one employee in charge and tells him to take care of the staff and keep everything running well.
At first, the employee does.
But as the days pass into weeks, and weeks into months, he starts acting like the owner is never coming back. Instead of caring for the other employees, he abuses them, degrades them, and spends resources dedicated to the employees on himself.
Then, without warning, the owner returns.
The employee had been equipped and instructed to care for others, but instead he only cared for his own needs.
Read Together
Read Matthew 24:45–51 together.
As you read, notice what the master expects the servant to do for the other people in his household.
Scripture Overview
Jesus told this parable while teaching His disciples about His return. Rather than giving them a date to circle on a calendar, Jesus repeatedly emphasized how they should live while they waited.
He describes a master who places one servant over his household. His responsibility is to give the others their food at the proper time. The master leaves, and the faithful servant simply continues caring for the people entrusted to him.
Jesus says that servant is blessed when his master returns and finds him doing what he was supposed to be doing.
But the wicked servant begins thinking, “My master is staying away a long time.” He starts beating his fellow servants and living for himself.
The master's absence reveals what kind of servant he really is.
Both servants were given authority. Both were entrusted with the master's household. But one used that authority to care for others, while the other used it to serve himself.
That's an important part of what it means to be a steward. God has entrusted each of us with things that belong to Him, but some of the most important things He has entrusted to us are people.
Our families, friends, coworkers, church members, neighbors, and others within our influence are not people for us to use. They are people for us to love and serve faithfully.
Jesus will return. We don't know when.
The question isn't simply whether we're waiting for Him.
It's how we're treating the people He has entrusted to us while we wait.
Talk About It
What responsibility did the master give the servant toward the rest of the household?
What changed when the wicked servant began thinking his master would be gone for a long time?
What is the difference between using authority to serve people and using it to serve ourselves?
Who are some people God has placed within your responsibility or influence?
Practice This Week
Think of one person God has placed in your life whom you have some responsibility or opportunity to care for.
Ask yourself:
“What would it look like to be a faithful servant to this person?”
Then do something specific to care for them this week.
Jesus hasn't asked us simply to wait for His return.
He has given us people to care for while we wait.
Prayer
God, thank You for the people You have placed in our lives. Help us remember that our time, influence, abilities, and opportunities belong to You.
Teach us to use what You have entrusted to us to care for others rather than ourselves. May Jesus find us faithfully loving and serving the people You have placed in our care when He returns.
In Jesus' name, Amen.