The Pound that Gained Ten-Fold

Thy Pound Hath Gained Ten

The Lord set forth a parable about a certain volume of money -- a large amount -- being placed in the care of three individuals. It says they received each man a pound.

Now this is the second parable about money or pounds or talents given in such a way that the servants were told to do something with the capitol given them to invest.

But in this parable not only did the investors receive equal amounts and brought in different amounts as a return, but also something else. It makes the monetary amount pale into insignificance. Each of these men received a secondary benefit of training along with the amount of enthusiasm they put into their efforts.

You know, enthusiasm boiled down to one important element in any successful endeavor: inspiration. Thomas Edison was once said to have quipped: "Success is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." but I contend he was wrong. He didn't understand the power of inspiration, because it doesn't really exist among the worldly.

It is the infilling of the Holy Ghost. Jesus explained "It is the Spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profiteth nothing." So the Holy Spirit of the Living God is the empowerment of those who receive it and hunger and thirst after God's Spirit.

But weather inspiration, effort, or both, the Lord's response to the two who came up with results was to place them in charge of cities. One gained ten pounds and was placed in charge of ten cities. The one who gained five pounds, to him gave He charge of five cities.

The one who gained nothing did so because he did nothing. His pound was taken from him and given to him who had ten pounds. So though he had the pound he started out with, and ten more, plus the one taken from the "do-nothing" and given to him, he only had charge of ten cities.

You see, he had learned something from the trading and commerce about good governance. The one who did nothing learned nothing. To him who has will more be given, but from him who hath not shall be taken away even that he seemeth to have.

Training is one observation here, but there is much more, such as a willingness to work with God, getting therefore the job done in the right way; doing the right thing. Inspiration helps you follow God's instructions and that's the only way to get the job done the right way and done right.

So the ones who gained were the ones who worked with God and did it God's way: the Christian Economists.

In the service of the Lord, the know-how comes with doing and obedience. That's why the scriptures admonish "Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only.".

This is why the economics of the World is historically such a dismal failure as well as their urban politics: they don't know what they're doing, really, and neither do the people who elect them or appoint them.

There's much more to belief than you might think! With the religionists it only means they believe in something. With Jesus, it means results. You produce "fruit". -- And in the World to come, the Christian believer, along with results, will have the training and know-how to responsibly handle government.

For, as Jesus said, "If you cannot be trusted with the unrighteous Mammon, who will trust you with true riches?".