Matthew 25:1-10
This is a revelation I have had last year when I found myself asking, what would happen if the five wise virgins gave their oil to those others who ran out.
If the wise virgins gave their oil to those who ran out, will they be able to join and attend the wedding feast?
Everyday, I am faced with series of decision makings. Some are big decisions like what do I have to pursue in college? Or some, small ones, like what do I have to eat for today? However, when I took time to ponder things, really, I am faced everyday with just small YESES and NOS.
I understood that being aware of these small yes and no can help me be more intentional in my walk with Christ.
It was a random thought on a random day when I was reminded of the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25.
The context of this passage is that there were ten virgins who have lamps and are waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. In the scripture, it said that five were wise while the others were foolish. Because the wise virgins brought extra oils with them. The others did not.
In this passage, I realized three things.
Kindness is not always saying YES to people
This passage is a beautiful reminder that kindness is not always saying yes to people. The world would try to box us in its definition of kindness – which is always to give and give and give. If we are going to put ourselves in the context of verse 7, Give us some of your oil; our lamps our going out. Initially, as Christians, most of us would give it, especially if we have extra. I would give my extra. Yes, that would be kindness. However, giving without boundaries is unhealthy. If I always say YES to people, I may run out of our YES to God. Imagine if the five virgins, in their kindness, said, YES, we will give our extra oil to you. Will they be able to attend the wedding feast?
Wisdom can also mean saying NO,
so I can say YES to God
There is a reason why the five were called the wise virgins and it is not just because they brought extra oil. Analyzing it, there is nothing wrong in helping especially if you have extra. However, I am not just called to be kind but I am also called to be wise. Matthew 10:16 says that [we should] therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. In verse 9 of this passage, the wise virgins saying NO actually allowed them to be inside the wedding banquet.
My small YES-NO are indicators of my intentionality with our pursuit of God
Every day, I get the freedom to choose; freedom to say YES and NO. Christ died on the cross for me so I can have the freedom to choose. Freedom to choose Him. There would be times that I have to say YES to God like, “Here I am God, send me.” But, I understood that there will be times, like the wise virgins, that I will be invited to say NO first, to other things, so I can save my YES to Him. By understanding the things that I have to say NO to, like the wise virgins who said no in giving their extra oil, I can avoid distractions that will stop me from saying YES to God. And in a bigger picture, I can be like the wise virgins who can attend the wedding feast.
I want to close with this: I have to be careful in what I say YES to. While it is true that I don’t have to understand everything in the grand scheme of things before I can say YES to God, there is an invitation that I should have the courage and boldness and wisdom to say NO to other things. Because in doing so, I am already saving my precious YES to God.
