The Oil We Must Carry Ourselves

As I read this passage over and over again, pausing to reflect on its meaning, my initial thought was: Why didn’t the five wise virgins show grace to the others? Is it not ungodly to withhold something from someone when you have the ability to share it?

I sat with that question for quite some time, by myself at Starbucks, wrestling with the thought.

I found myself playing a mental game of tug-of-war, going back and forth, convinced that the five wise virgins should have helped the others. Then, something clicked.

Yes, we should be kind, unselfish, and loving toward others. But this parable isn’t necessarily about how we treat others. It’s about the responsibility we each have for ourselves.

We cannot rely on others to carry us through our own spiritual journey. We can certainly hope to bring others along with us, encourage them, and help them find their way. But when all is said and done, we cannot rely on someone else’s faith to sustain our own. We cannot borrow someone else’s beliefs, their relationship with God, or the unconditional love we are called to cultivate for God, ourselves, and one another.

Helping others along their journey is important, but it cannot come at the expense of neglecting the responsibilities we have for our own spiritual preparedness.

We see examples of this every day in modern society. People wait for others to provide their salvation, whether that means faith, wealth, health, education, or even happiness. We sometimes become so dependent on what others can provide that we neglect the work we must do ourselves.

Had I not made the decision to come sit at Starbucks, open my Bible, and spend time reading and reflecting on the Gospel, I could have easily allowed my chores, responsibilities, and the many things I wanted to accomplish today to become excuses.

I would have missed an opportunity to hear the Word of the Lord, not because I lacked the opportunity, but because I failed to make the time.

A Question of Preparedness

I am never perfect, and neither is anyone else. But if we don’t make time to invest in our own wealth, health, spirit, and faith, we cannot expect someone else to do that work for us.

So, are you being wise today?

What have you done today to prepare yourself for what you believe may come tomorrow?

Are you thinking about your future, or are you simply living day to day, hypnotized by the endless distractions of modern life?

Are you tending to your own spiritual oil, or are you assuming that someone else will have enough to share when the time comes?

These are the questions I intend to carry with me as I continue my personal reflections.

Perhaps the greatest lesson I took away from this Gospel is that we can encourage one another, walk alongside one another, and share what we have learned, but we must each take responsibility for keeping our own lamps burning.

What are you doing today to prepare for tomorrow?