In Matthew 25 Jesus tells a parable about some people who were entrusted with some wealth by their master. 

Those who invested it well were greeted with a compliment: “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (verse 23).

This statement is sometimes quoted at funerals. When someone has tried to live faithfully toward God and as a blessing to the people around them, this is quoted as a commentary on their lives as a whole. Sure, no one is perfect. But wouldn’t it be the most incredible thing we could ever imagine if we heard those words spoken to each one of us when we entered the gates of heaven: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Let’s note a few things. The servant is given a compliment because they have done “well.” They have also been “good.” They have likewise been “faithful.” All of these things tell us something about being a servant.

In the late medieval period Thomas a Kempis wrote: “Live that death will never take you unprepared.”

On one hand, death often takes us unprepared. Why? Because it can come upon us suddenly, especially if illness comes quickly or if we get in an accident. But that’s not what he’s talking about. 

He’s referring to the fact that we should live our lives as faithful servants. Even though we all make mistakes, we can prioritize serving God and others. That way, whenever death comes, we can have a clear conscience because we have tried, with the help and grace of God, that we have been spending our time as his hands and feet among the people God loves.

Servanthood looks differently for different people. It depends on our circumstances. It depends on our talents. It depends on what spiritual gifts God has given you. It can depend on how old you are and what opportunities happen to present themselves. It could be outside of your home, or on the inside. It could be something others see, or it could be behind the scenes.

But it is always done in faith.

“Live that death will never take you unprepared.”

---

Notes:

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.