2026 Pentecost Devotions III
Saturday, November 7
Matthew 25:1-13
[Jesus said to the disciples:] 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those young women got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 Later the other young women came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
“… When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. …”
This parable of Jesus mirrors the proverbs of ancient Israel. After all, the image of the wise and foolish gives us a clue to Jesus’ intent. The hearers would have automatically recognized Jesus’ story as one with a moral. Follow the ways of the wise, the proverbs tell us, not the ways of the foolish.
In this case, the motto of the Boy Scouts of America would be apt: “Be prepared”. Certainly, the foolish maidens were unprepared. Everyone knows that you should take extra oil along. Like having a spare tire in your car or a pair of gloves in your jacket, preparation is key to survival. The extra flask of oil would have been standard procedure for those awaiting a late-coming groom. Obviously, the foolish maidens were unprepared.
If indeed this parable is about the kingdom of God, at least some of the meaning surrounds the idea of being ready for the second coming of Christ. Don’t be foolish in your expectations. Be on alert like the wise maidens. While you may be asleep when the alarm sounds, be prepared to light the lamps of welcome and hospitality at a moment’s notice. After all, no one knows the day or hour. Like the Boy Scouts, Jesus says, be wise. Be prepared!
Prayer: Come, Lord Jesus. At Your coming, may You find us awake, alert, and ready to light the lamps of joy, hope, and peace. Amen.