Luke 12:41–48

Be Still: Father help me as I read your Word. By your Spirit, I want to become more like Jesus today. Amen.

Read: Luke 12:41–48

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (v48b)

Encounter: I was once in a prayer meeting when my friend announced, “I’ve just sensed the Holy Spirit highlight that Scripture, ‘with great power, comes great responsibility’”. We had to let her down gently that this brilliant thought was less from Scripture and more of a quote from Spiderman!

But Spidey still has a point and a point which Jesus brings home in this passage today. This is about stewardship. It is essential to have faithful and wise management of the gifts that God has given each of us. Jesus is saying that everything and everyone in life belongs to God and so handle what you’ve been entrusted with in a way that honours him. 

There’s a gravity here concerning the weight of responsibility on those in positions of Church leadership. The charge is to be found faithfully serving the Church when the Master returns (not chilling out) or abusing the responsibility, or mistreating the household under their care. 

On some mornings, when I drop my girls at school, I say to them as they’re running in through the school gate, ‘Use your power for good today’. We all have God-given power and influence over others; let’s be faithful in our service to them. 

Apply: What have you been entrusted with today? Who are the people and what are the responsibilities you are stewarding? Ask for the Holy Spirit to fill you and help you in the faithful and wise management of all of it. Use today and this passage to pray particularly for the leaders of your church. Lift them to God. Pray they might keep going faithfully and wisely, serving Jesus and his Church.

Devote: Thank you for what you have entrusted to me – I want to serve you and others today.