Wednesday September 17
Time Tells the Difference
EVIDENCE
Key Texts: 1 Cor. 3:13; 1 Thess. 5:6; 1 Pet. 1:7
At the onset there was no visible difference between the ten virgins awaiting
the arrival of the bridegroom. Nature has a striking illustration of this story in the
life of deciduous and nondeciduous trees. At one point there is no apparent differ-
ence between deciduous and nondeciduous trees, as far as leaves are concerned.
As the seasons pass by, however, deciduous trees shed their leaves in preparation
for winter. Of 10 trees, half deciduous and the other half nondeciduous, during
summer all would look green and very nice. By winter, however, five would be
leafless and five with leaves. To those who do not know the characteristics of
these trees, time tells the difference.
True character is usually revealed when critical moments come. The ten virgins
are watching in the evening of this earth’s history. All claim to be Christians. All
have a call, a name, a lamp, and all claim to be doing God’s service. All apparently
watch for His appearing. But five are wanting in character. They will be disap-
pointed when they find themselves outside the banquet hall. Only time will tell
the difference.
By winter, however, five would be leafless and
five with leaves.
When things are not going on smoothly in your spiritual journey, do you re-
main firm, or do you “shed” Christ? We should wait with patience and rely on our
confidence in Scripture. This requires daily growing in God’s Word so that when
the trials come we don’t lose our patience. “It needs time to grow unto Jesus the
vine: do not expect to abide in Him unless you will give Him that time. It is not
enough to read God’s word, and when we think we have hold of the thoughts, and
have asked God for His blessing to go out in the hope that the blessing will abide.
No, it needs day-by-day time with Jesus and with God. We all know the need of
time for our meals each day—every workman claims his hour for dinner: the
hurried eating of so much food is not enough.”
This challenges us to put on the “whole armour of God”(Eph. 6:11) and not
to be without reserves of oil as were the foolish virgins. Like soldiers we should
be ready “in season, out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2). We must not be like civilians
when the battle is raging and Christ expects us to be on the battlefield. May the
Lord help us to be everready or “evergreen,” and the difference should be obvious.
REACT
Why is it important to remain united to Christ on a moment-by-moment basis?
* Andrew Murray, Abide in Christ, p. 7.
By Eunice Misiani, a lecturer in the zoology department, Kenyatta University, Nai-
robi, Kenya.
103