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.
Luke 12: 48

 

 

This line, the final conclusion to the parable of the wise and faithful servant has become a modern mantra, thanks to Spiderman and others including President Obama and Bill and Melinda Gates.

Yet no one quotes the actual parable itself.

The story Jesus tells in Luke 12: 42-48 makes us wince, as it is meant to:

⁴² The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? ⁴³ It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. ⁴⁴ Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.⁴⁵ But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. ⁴⁶ The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷ “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸ But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. 

The same story as told in Matthew ends with being “cut into pieces” and “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Somehow that part is left out of Spiderman’s story and is a bit too close to home for those in power and those with immense wealth — just like Peter Parker, we know the reality fo just how fragile and weak we really are despite our perceived Spidey powers.

We are told we don’t have a choice in the matter if we want to live in Him:
we owe much when to us much is given … or else we perish.

 

May my eyes see, my ears hear, my heart understand.  He prepares me with parable.