"well done!"
"Well done! You are an industrious and reliable servant. Since you were dependable in a small matter I will put you in charge of larger affairs. Come, share your master's joy!" —Matthew 25:21
The Lord does not expect everyone to make ten thousand dollars. He does not necessarily expect us to do better than others. He also does not expect us to start from scratch; He gives us something to start with. We do not have to be prosperous, competitive, or creative by worldly standards. The Lord simply expects our best. If our best is very little, that's all right (see Lk 21:2ff). He doesn't expect us to do anything beyond our ability.
We may not be able to meet other people's standards or even our own, but we can always meet God's standards. We always have a "best," and we can always "do our best." We can always be pleasing to the Lord. We can always be everything God wants us to be. We don't have to wait on anyone else or on circumstances. We can choose always to be "an industrious and reliable servant" and to do a job "well done" (Mt 25:21).
Prayer: Father, may I put in a good day's work for You, today and every day.
Promise: "He has made Him our Wisdom and also our Justice, our Sanctification, and our Redemption." —1 Cor 1:30
Praise: Stephen adjusts his work schedule so that daily Mass and weekly eucharistic adoration are not neglected.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our leaflet, Job Performance for Jesus, or on audio AV 43-3 or video V-43.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 25, 2008
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