PRODUCTIVITY AS A CORE PURSUIT

Luke 19:22 His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?

A lack of productivity is often frowned upon in many quarters. In some ventures, it is one ground for termination. feature in the life of any individual. Fruitfulness is thus an expectation. While in certain seasons, fruitfulness may not appear physically tangible, it can show up in virtue: in kindness, humility, piety, love, joy etc. But by all means, productivity must be hallmark of everybody. Any and every kind of profiting is therefore preferred to doing nothing.

In fact, on the basis of today’s Gospel, a lack of productivy in the presence of resources is described as ‘wickedness’. It is a strong word because in some other places in scripture, it is the same word that has been translated as ‘the evil one’.

Often we take our gifts, talents and resources that God has given us for granted. We misuse, abuse and in some cases, blatantly refuse to use them. This comes at a cost to those for whom the expression of those gifts were to be manifested. Sometimes, that is the bearer of the gift themself. That is why Jesus referred to the servant as ‘wicked’.

If there is one prayer I have learnt to pray often it is “may the graces at work in my life benefit those I will meet and may everyone intended to benefit from the graces at work in my life today, encounter me”. That is an intentional prayer that constantly reminds me that ‘I have been gifted to be a blessing to others’. I pray for you, that you also come to this realization personally because only then will productivity and fruitfulness become a core pursuit of yours.

#sly