“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them” (Matthew 25:14).
Jesus is away on His journey. He has journeyed back into the heavenlies to prepare a place for you and I (John 14:3). He has freed us from sin and made us His holy slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:18). His work is finished (John 19:30).
The question remains with us. Not so much in how we will accomplish the work He has given us, but in how we will view Him. It’s all a matter of perspective.
We, like the slaves in the parable of the talents, have a choice. On the one hand, we can put Jesus first and allow the truth of His character to influence our outlook (Matthew 6:33). We can see Him face to face, just as He is, and be empowered to go boldly before His throne to pick up everything He has prepared that we need for life and godliness (Hebrews 4:16; 2 Peter 1:3). With little or much we proclaim, “Master! You have entrusted great things to me” (Matthew 25:20,22)!
But when the earthly skews our outlook, we waste not only His heavenly resources, but the glory of Who He is. We are like men who wear mirrored glasses inside-out, smearing Christ’s image into our own blurred reflection. Early twentieth century commentator H. M. Spence explains, “Thus men regard God, not as He is but according to their own perverted views; they read their own character into their conception of Him.” With the third slave we grumble, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man” and thus I have a disappointing life (Matthew 25:24).
Notice, in both situations, the Master remains the same. He is the Comforter (John 16:7), the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), and our Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1). Yet what we believe about Him determines our degree of freedom. Faith must not only believe that He is, but that He actually rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
When our view of Him is filtered through the lens of self, His image remains distorted. Our doubt distances His power, despite the fact that He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:5).
“We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2). He has appeared. May we see Him exactly as He is.
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