While much of the country was enjoying sunny and warm weather this past weekend, things have been different for us here in the Southern California Mountains. We have had temperatures in the 20's and have been under a winter storm watch. We ended up getting between 8 inches of snow here in our community.How many of you rush to the store, when you hear about a snow storm coming into your area? Personally, I went to the store early on Saturday morning, just to pick up a couple of things… Needless to say, I was not alone.
The store was full of other shoppers, looking to do the same thing. As I reflected upon this phenomenon later, I thought about the parable of the ten maidens in Matthew 25:1-13. You remember the story, a bridegroom was coming and the maidens had to be ready when he came, and his intent was to surprise them.
I read about another way to tell this story, but don't know who came up with the idea, but here is my rewrite of the story someone else shared.
"The kingdom of heaven is like ten people who sat down one night to watch the evening news. Before long, the All-Wise, All-Knowing and Always Accurate Weatherman appeared on the TV set and spoke.
"Behold," he said, "A snow storm of a severe nature approaches, so be prepared. At midnight, it shall be upon you and in the morning, there shall be whiteness on the ground which shall reach up to your knees. Thus says your weatherman.
Five of the ten people were prepared, so they sat comfortably in their homes and watched the rest of the news. But the other five were not prepared. They had no milk, they had no bread and they wondered where they had left their winter gloves.
So, they jumped into their cars and raced to the store with money in hand, desperately hoping they could lay an offering upon the altar of the Cash Register and get a few last minutes things in return.
But behold, they were too late. The door to the store was locked. The gods of commerce would accept no more offerings until the morning. The five people went home and asked their neighbors, "Do you have any bread or milk I can borrow?" Their neighbors said, "No, I don't. I only have enough for my family.
A curse upon you who hear this warning and do not prepare… The snow approached and you paid no attention to the day or the hour. You should have been prepared. Now you shall be judged wanting in the day the snow cometh…"
I know it is a silly little story, but does that make it any less true? If the Lord were to come tonight would you be ready?
