February 7

NT – As one who has gambled and lost in the stock market, I can safely say, I might fail the investment test. I have a hard time investing my ‘real’ money with any degree of risk. I cannot imagine investing someone else’s money especially someone that holds my life and death in their hands.
But in thinking this through, I have come up with a different way to look at this parable.
What if it wasn’t money? What if it were LIVES?
The first servant is given 5 underlings to develop and raise up into good, productive worker bees for the master. They like the way the servant/master runs things and they are learning so much and enjoying themselves that they invite 5 other friends to come and learn the business.
The Second servant is given 2 underlings to develop and raise up into good, productive worker bees for the Master. They like the way the servant/master runs things and they are learning so much and enjoying themselves that they invite 2 other friends to come and learn the business.
The last servant is given 1 underling. He doesn’t know how to raise up good, productive worker bees and he is afraid. So, he gives him to a neighbor who works him hard and wrings all he can get from this free laborer.
Now, when God comes back to check, servant one has grown his evangelical flock from 5 to 10 and they are getting ready to open a brand new church. Praise, praise, praise.
Servant two has grown his evangelical flock from 2 to 4 and their church is creating new missions to help in their city. Praise, praise, praise.
The last servant has a broken, angry laborer who refuses to go to church. That church’s pews are empty except for the servant, his organ master and the old people who refuse to change and are dying off like flies. The bankers are circling and soon the church buildings will be sold to a used car dealership.

Too harsh? I don’t think so. This is a really harsh section of Matthew. I mean, he didn’t let the silly virgins in!! Feel differently? Let me know.

Psalm – Verse 5 says “into your hands I commit my spirit, redeem me, O Lord, the God of Truth”. Sound familiar? Think crucifixion. But that brought up the word “redeem”. I looked it up
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/padah.html
And the word we translate as redeem is the Hebrew word Padah. It means, literally to ransom or rescue by means of a ritual-sacrifice or blood payment. Brings a whole new flavor to that phrase to me.
Watch this video and KNOW that Jesus knew what the meaning of that word was and what it took to ransom us all. Including the third servant.