Saturday’s Column: Learning From Lehman

Jeremy Waddell

We all meet people every day…Some good, some bad and then some…we say, “What just happened?” I was doing an inspection last fall. It was getting dark, it was starting to rain, and I was getting tired. A lady came around the house and asked what I was doing. I introduced myself and asked if she was the buyer, the seller, or who she was. She said, “No, I just live around here.” I said, “Well, I’m a home inspector and I’m inspecting the home on behalf of the buyers. She asked, “Are you any good at your job?” I said, “Well, I try to be.” Then she said, “Well, I think I have radon at my house.” I told her I could check that, then she said, “How much does that cost?” I told her and she said, “Well, I don’t have that much money.” I said we could work something out. Then she asked, “How can I get in touch with you?” I told her I was on Facebook, I can give you my phone number, or you can Google it. She said, “Can I get a business card?” I said, “No ma’am. I don’t. I’ve run out and don’t have any in my truck. She told me, “Oh, you’re not prepared, huh?” I said, “No ma’am, I’m not.” She didn’t have anything else to say to me, but turned and walked off and was gone.

The more I thought about it the madder I got. I turned my truck upside down and found one. It turns out she was sitting on the back porch next door and been watching me the whole time. She didn’t want a home inspection and was just being nosy. I took her my business card, offered my services, and left. But it got me to thinking.

• Does it bother us as much about our Christianity as it does our jobs or school or just meeting people in general when someone calls us out? 

• Do we think about how prepared we are to not only answer questions about the Bible, Jesus, our Christianity but whether we are prepared for heaven or hell? 

• Being prepared is not something we can put off or procrastinate about. It’s something we must do and be ready for right now! 

Matthew 25

1-13. The 10 virgins here are used as an example of some being ready and some not.  

• Vs 13- He’s told us He’s coming… not when but that He is. Be prepared daily!
• Other passages that make mention of His coming are 2 Peter 3:10, 1 Thess. 5:2, Mark 13:32-37. There are others that inform us that we will not know when He is coming. Be on watch!

14-30. This teaching is about the different number of talents that was given to 3 different men.  

• He’s given us all talents and jobs to do so that we can be prepared. To make ourselves ready and to make the most of what’s been given to us. 
• Are you using those talents to prepare yourself? Are you using them to be ready for the kingdom and to help others be ready?
• If we are, we will hear, “well done good and faithful servant”. If we aren’t using the talents that’s been given us, we are told what will happen…vs 30- “we will be cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
• Use wisely and often the gifts given to you!!

31-46. He’s coming to judge us on the deeds we have done. He’s coming to judge us on the preparation we have made. Heaven or hell. 

• Best thing is…we get to pick, and we get to make preparations for our choice. 
• Heaven is “prepared” vs 34.
• Hell is “prepared” vs 41. 
• Are you “prepared”? 

• God has done His part; He’s just waiting for us to do ours. 

• We’ve been given the warning, the instructions, and the motivation.

• In whatever way you need to prepare…are you doing it? 

• Whether it’s being baptized, asking for forgiveness, repairing relationships, doing more for the kingdom of heaven–Be prepared! 

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