Stories of the Kingdom: The Parables of JesusNäide

Parable of the Master and His Servant

In Luke 17:7-10, Jesus tells a parable about the relationship between a master and his servant. The passage reads:

"Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready, and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that, you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

In this parable, Jesus uses the relationship between a master and his servant to illustrate the attitude His disciples should have towards serving God. The servant must fulfill his duties without expecting special recognition or reward. Similarly, Jesus teaches that disciples should serve God wholeheartedly, recognizing that they are fulfilling their obligation as servants and should not expect to be praised for doing so.

In what ways does this parable encourage us to shift our focus from seeking recognition to faithfully serving God?