Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, Matthew 25:2-3
The five foolish virgins rushed out to purchase oil for their lamps:
The first virgin learned to design and build. Great buildings and monuments she built from the ground up to her own plans and designs. Skyscrapers and office buildings, apartment towers and houses, administration buildings and factories; all built and accomplished at her command and with her skill. Monuments of cement and steel rose up to bear her name before the heavens. Surely now, said she, the Bridegroom and His new bride will come to me for a palace to live in, and they will invite me to the wedding feast to tell me of their needs for the future. And I will take those wishes of theirs and make such a palace as has never been seen on the Earth!
The second virgin saw the buildings going up and resolved to fill them with machines to make living and working in them easier, and to make transports to go between them quickly. She set out to learn engineering and manufacturing, and to make the factories of her sister virgin hum with the production of things. Conveniences and conveyance flooded the world from the skill and energy of this virgin, and the people did honor her name. Surely now, said she also, the Bride and Bridegroom will have need of all these things that I produce to make life easier for mankind, and they will invite me in to the wedding feast to place their orders with me as quickly as possible.
The third virgin was less worried about things and structures, she set out to gain the finest and most complete education in the land. She learned and studied from the professors in the universities. She discussed and argued with all who would debate with her. Degrees and certifications were added to her name, and soon it was known that the measure of her intelligence and knowledge was second to none in all the land. Indeed her recollection was such that moments of each day of her life could be recalled exactly and played like a recording for any who asked. Smart, they said, surely she was the smartest of all. And, said she to them, the Bride and Bridegroom will call for me to sit at their table and discuss the plans for educating the masses in their new kingdom.
The fourth virgin saw that all was not to her liking and that it needed to be brought under control. She called for the rulers of the nations and learned from them the ways of power and politics, governance and administration. She studied the ways to gain power by public ways and those done more discreetly behind closed doors. She learned of ways to allow the illusion of meaningful dialogue in the political arena while controlling the outcome of the voting at all times. The Bride and Bridegroom will need me to remain in power, she said to her cronies, and when they become too busy to rule, I will maintain control over all the world for them. My seat will be at the high table in the wedding feast, to show the Bride who is to be trusted with high office and who must be left out. And my last sister virgin will help with that by taxation.
The fifth virgin was indeed ready to help control the land, for she had gone out to learn the ways of money. Finance and accounting, taxation and tariffs, commerce and coinage, were her desires. She saw the ways of power by wealth and how small amounts of it could be used to control the masses. Power, fame, and the enjoyment of having all she wanted appealed greatly to this foolish virgin too. As the wealthiest in the land, the Bride and Bridegroom would be smart to invite me in to their celebration, said she, for I will show them how to buy anything they want as I sit next to them at the feast.
The tolling of the bell for the wedding feast began. What will happen with these foolish virgins, and why are they foolish?
It's too much for today, to be continued next time!
Love in Christ,
Bucky
No comments:
Post a Comment