Are you ready for true wisdom?

‘At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there were ten young women who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and the other five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any extra oil with them, while the wise ones took containers full of oil for their lamps. The bridegroom was late in coming, so the girls began to nod and fall asleep.

‘It was already midnight when the cry rang out, “Here is the bridegroom! Come and meet him!” ‘ (verses l-6)

Read Matthew 25:1-13

What makes a person wise? Some say experience. Others say knowledge. Still others say contentment. Jesus teaches that readiness is what makes a person wise, readiness for the coming of his kingdom.

The foolish are those who are not prepared, who think Jesus’ coming is unlikely or a long way off. They use human judgment to determine the likelihood of Jesus’ advent.

But the wise are those who are prepared, who live their lives in expectation of Jesus’ coming to save. They trust Jesus’ promise that ‘the Son of Man will come … when you are not expecting him’. (Matthew 24:43).

Lord Jesus, give me true wisdom, so that I may live today in readiness for your coming. Amen.

by Adam Cooper, in ‘New Strength for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1998)

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