Start right

I’ve been so quiet for so long it’s embarrassing, but anyway, hello everyone, belated compliments of the season.

So it’s February already, this year is off to a very quick start. A start, that’s what I want to write about today. Usually a lot of emphasis is put on a good ending, we say ‘it doesn’t matter how you start but how you finish’. I won’t argue with that statement, but I think how you start is also of some importance.

I think we’re all familiar with the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25; but just to be on the safe side, here’s a quick summary. There were ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom (to fully understand this, you’d have to understand the Hebrew marriage and wedding process). Five of these virgins were foolish, taking their lamps but not taking any oil with them while the other five were wise, taking both their lamps and oil in jars. Then we’re told that they all became drowsy and fell asleep because the bridegroom was a long time in coming. Then at midnight the announcement was out that the bridegroom was on his way. All the virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The foolish ones realized that their lamps were going out and so they asked the wise for some oil. The wise refused, the foolish had to go buy their own oil, and while they did that, that bridegroom arrived, taking the ready virgins in with him to the wedding banquet.

I was intrigued by the fact that they ALL became drowsy and they ALL succumbed under it, falling asleep. I would have thought the wise ones would be able to resist sleep, but their wisdom didn’t assist them in that. But at the same time their status of being wise didn’t change just because they fell asleep.

A season of becoming drowsy will approach us all in this life and in this walk with a God who neither slumbers nor sleeps. Remember the disciples at Gathsemane? Jesus expressed his deep sorrow to his closest disciples, his inner circle of friends. Those ones you can trust with anything and everything, those you can call at 2am and know they’ll answer, those you know don’t get tired of you and your trouble…those. He asked them to stand with him, to keep watch with him, to be there for him in this trying time as Job’s friends were. He then went on to pray. I really don’t think it was intentional for them to fall asleep, Jesus himself said their spirits were willing though their bodies weak when he found them sleeping. He encouraged them to stand with him and went back to praying. When he got back, they were sleeping again, the Bible gives a reason, because their eyes were heavy. This time, Jesus didn’t bother to get them up, he went back to praying. He only awoke them when he was done praying and it was time for his arrest.

The great three, Simon Peter, James and John, the Zebedee brothers…these men gave in to sleep.

Now back to my original story. Although they all fell asleep, the wise had an advantage when they awoke because of a wise decision they had made in the beginning. It really does matter how you start. I know nothing about running marathons, but I do think that it really matters how you start off in those races, as much as it matters who starts off a relay. Even if the long distance runner might tire in the middle of the race, if they left a big gap between himself and those behind him, he’ll find himself still in the race when he recovers.

What on earth am I trying to say? Start right. Make wise decisions now in the start of the year. And if you’re young, make the right ones now in the start of your life. Save, invest, build relationships, network, discover and develop your gifts, study hard, read more…whatever it is, take your jar of oil. Sure it’s an added weight and you’ll probably look like an idiot now…but take it with anyway, you’ll reap later because even the great sleep, let sleep find you prepped up and ready to bounce back when you awake.