Use it or Lose it

Luke 19:11-17

     Despite the warnings of Jesus, people still couldn't help but believe that the closer He got to Jerusalem, the sooner He would bring in the Kingdom with power and prestige. We often use this parable of the "minas" to point to how we need to be using what God has given us or it will be taken away. This is certainly true and is a main part of the teaching here, but there also is another point that we need to not overlook. 
     The Lord of these cities was going to be away for a while and no one knew when he would come to the cities. Even though the Lord wasn't there, he expected work to be getting done, even progress to be made. He didn't just expect that the stewards would hold on to his property, but that gains would be made along the way. The consequences for not being proactive were serious indeed. 
     Jesus' Kingdom was not going to come in the timing or in the way that most people expected or wanted, but Jesus still expected them to be working on building it. To this day the Lord is still away, expecting His servants to be working with what He has given them. How are you doing? Are you frustrated with what God has given you or where He has put you or are you using it, great or small to build His Kingdom? The Lord is going to arrive one day and He will expect a return on what He has entrusted to us so lets get busy using it while we can.