I have to admit that the modern-western-traditional-church interpretation of the story of the ten minas (Luke 19), makes me feel anxious, sick and scared. If God is going to judge my life based on my talents and how I used them or based on the good works or good behaviour I achieved, or based on how I stewarded my money – then… logically… aren’t we all screwed??? I mean, WHO will actually be called: “Good and faithful servant” based on their actions???

WHAT IF: the minas represent the gospel of grace??? What if the men who invested the minas represent people who accept grace and lavish in grace, and yes: share grace, and yes: grace changes their behviour; but ultimately it’s a story of their acceptance of God’s acceptance? Suddenly it’s not about how good they were or how smart, or how they succeeded to play the piano in church for 20 years or how they invested their money into the orphans in South Africa – maybe they did those things and maybe they didn’t. But whatever they did under the grace of God they were called: “Good and faithful servants!!!”

And what if the only people who will ever be seen as “Wicked servants” are those who REJECTED GRACE. They said to God: “I didn’t want your money (your minas). I can do it on my own; I don’t need you.” And he says: “based on your belief, so shall it be.” This is in fact exactly how the story sounds to me. Those who reject God’s grace, say to God: “I knew you were a hard man” Luke 19:22. When in fact: God is not hard or judgemental at all! God says, only to that kind of thinking: “I judge you on your words” (same verse).

Be careful what you believe. If you believe God will judge you as a harsh; works based God: then perhaps he will. If you realise that God has given you grace beyond measure to do with it as you will, then you are truly free and: “TO EVERYONE WHO HAS [GRACE] MORE WILL BE GIVEN, BUT AS FOR THE ONE WHO HAS NOTHING [NO GRACE] EVEN WHAT HE HAS WILL BE TAKEN AWAY………. Luke 19:26