Matthew 25:1-12 tells the story of the ten virgins, five wise and five foolish. We know the story; we know the meaning of it.
But something new hit me when I came to verses 8 and 9. In these verses, the five foolish virgins asked the others to share some of their oil, “for our lamps have gone out.” The five wise virgins replied that they couldn’t “lest there be not enough” and told them to go get their own oil.
Now at first this seemed kind of mean. Why can’t there be enough for all of them? But I thought of this reason (God always has a reason😊).
We can’t share our fire for Jesus. We can tell and show others about it; we can inspire them and make them want that fire. But we can’t give it to them–they have to get it for themselves.
We can’t share our salvation. We can tell people about it and live so that they want what we have. But we can’t give it to them–they have to get it for themselves.
If we attempt to share, there won’t be enough. One candle, one flame, will not work for two people–it won’t last. If one person is on fire for Jesus and another person isn’t but they’re trying to share, the fire will soon fizzle out. Just because one person is saved doesn’t guarantee their friend or family member is saved.
Everyone has to have their own “oil.” We have to have our own fire, our own passion for God, our own salvation, our own personal relationship with the Bridegroom.
