KEEP BUILDING RESERVE

Reference text: Matthew 25:1-13

Matthew 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

The parable of the ten virgins is one we are familiar with, a story often aligned to readiness and preparedness. Reading it again today, what came to mind was this:
As much as we delight in being able to control and modify the variables of life, there are many elements which unpredictable. However, there was no unfair advantage in the parable as all ten faced the same conditions: all ten virgins were affected by the delay of the bridegroom, all became drowsy and all slept.

Yet, when they awoke from their slumber, five went in with the bridegroom and five were locked out upon returning with oil. The only difference between them; five had flasks of oil with them before falling asleep. So two people may face the same storms in life, while one weather’s the bashing and emerges victorious, another may end up badly battered.

Here is today’s lesson “what you have built up [prayer, word study, capacity, reserve, preparation, resources] before a situation arrives, determines which version of you emerges out of it.” When you have no reserve, whenever things spring up at you, you will be found wanting.

If your strength fails in the day of adversity, it means your strength is weak (Prov 24:10). So keep building reserve, you don’t know when you’ll need them.

#sly