faithful servant

As a manager, I know that I change people’s behavior just by walking into the room. I wish it wasn’t that way – I wish people felt they could be genuine around me. Some do, but most aren’t nearly as relaxed when I’m there as when I’m not.

That’s human nature, though. A co-worker has a saying he uses when our boss leaves town: “When the cat’s away, the mice will play.” I think everyone relaxes a little without supervision.

There’s danger in that attitude, though. In Matthew 24:45-47 it says: “’Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.’”

As a good a faithful servant, am I diligent as I await Christ’s return? Or do I join so many who have the attitude, “While Jesus is away, we can play?” Not that Jesus isn’t always present, but his return is that day when judgment comes. In the meantime, it’s easy to let a day go by without really feeling his presence in the room.

I need to be careful of that. Most days that isn’t me, but sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s to think God’s kingdom isn’t a priority today – Judgment Day is a long way off and I can always catch up on my service work or relationship with God later on.

That’s a pretty poor response to the hard thing Jesus did for me when he was here the first time. Maybe if I can remember that, I can remember the rest too.