Wealth…as told by The Parable of Talents XII

Judgement is for the Lord

6. Judgement is for the Lord

As you walk on your wealth journey, you will need to remember that judgement is for the Lord.

What is He judging?

From the parable of talents we know that He judges your work and determines whether or not you have been a good and faithful servant. This is further emphasised in 1 Corinthians 2:11-15:

For noone can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on the foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through flames.

But there is another judgement that occurs in your wealth journey as you walk on the path the Lord has ordained for you:

But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: the Kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
“Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgement than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.
Luke 10:10-15

When you start to live out the vision God has placed in your heart, you should expect opposition and even persecution. Not everyone will celebrate you. Not everyone will accept you or your message. In fact some people may castigate you for carrying out the work God has given you, be it in the marketplace or in ministry. In spite of this and the hardship it may bring with it, you are NOT supposed to judge them. Reserve the judgement for the Lord, for this is the assurance that we have:

He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
Luke 10:16

If you are not supposed to judge them, what are you supposed to do in the midst of the persecution, slander, mudslinginging and hostile opposition that you are certain to face?

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34-35

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your sins.
Mark 11:25

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:19-21

Your Turn

You are not called to judge others, you are called to walk in love and in forgiveness.

At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ” Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.
Acts 7: 57- 8:1

This is the Saul who went on to be an apostle of the gentiles. This is the same Saul who wrote majority of the new testament. This is the same Saul who called himself a bondservant of Christ. This is the same Saul, better known as Paul, who is still revered to this very day.

Remember, we too were enemies of God (Romans 5:10), but He forgave us and reconciled us to Himself. The person who is your enemy today, opposing you today, stoning you today, slandering you today, persecuting you today; may just well be your fellow worker in Christ tomorrow. You just never know.

Don’t bad-mouth each other, friends. It’s God’s Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You’re supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?
James 4:11-12

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