Although His servants did not fit the “success pattern” of this world, in the midst of this grand scheme of the Master's Love was His acute ability to gift a servant according to His personal Kingdom DNA. The Master knew the strategic fit of each and all of His servants, and how His measured gift could bring true joy to the life of the servant and ultimately the kingdom. No more, no less than the ability of the servant was the congruent distribution of the Masters goods planned. The servants who saw liberty at the entrusting of the Master's goods would move forward to cause love rebellions all across the Kingdom during the Master's absence. At His return the love harvest from this liberal use of the Master's goods would be seen as a multiplication of the saving, the healing, the feeding, the comforting, and the clothing of other seemingly unprofitable misfits all over the Kingdom.
There was great joy in the Kingdom when the Master returned … with the exception of those who saw the Master's love as manipulative, His distribution as unfair, and His plan as a cruel self servicing misuse of unqualified, naive followers to elevate his own fame and fill His own coffers. In the end these servants with this perspective were found to have no connection to the Master (because of their rejection of his Love) and were banished from the Kingdom. (more accurate details of this story are found in Matthew 25)
“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge.” Psalm 48:1-3
When we look at our lives, focusing on the way we deal with people (because people are the key): Do we create a refuge of extravagant love or a prison of guilt ridden obligation? Do we capture and corral, or do we unbind and set free? Do we enshrine and entomb, or do we loose them and let them “GO” in the service of the King?
Personally, I have seen great bitterness and disappointment in the life of Christian leaders, organizations and ministries that become “collectors, controllers and owners of talent”. This selfish dependence soon becomes a point of contention, strife and finally bitter separation. A leader will painfully, but probably reluctantly learn that holding onto and controlling damaged people (which we all are) too tightly will be the death of the venture.
(Here comes the “take a big breath” run-on thought”) Oh, if only we could develop Heaven-bound, door way expanding, beach-like rescue stations filled with Kingdom Minded leaders; who raise up joyful life guards who will continue to go out into the crashing surf of soiled humanity to rescue the perishing and care for the dying. Kingdom leaders who catch this vision will find a deeper sense of a fulfilling connection with the King and a greater sense of purpose for their lives and others.
John 14:1,2 Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”
HLFA,
Jeff