Matthew 25
25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps[a] and went to meet the bridegroom.[b] 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[c] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[d] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[e] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Lord, I pray my child would love you with their heart, soul, and mind.
- This is a challenge for most people so it should be no surprise that it’s a challenge for our kids. Ask God to specifically help your child love God with all their heart, soul, and mind. This covers their entire being.
- I know this may overwhelm you as you think of all the things you want for your child. But if you invest in this one area, you are doing an amazing thing. Give your child the gift of prayer. Don’t just read this and move on. Take time to let your child hear you pray. Try printing this out and praying one prayer each day. God hears and wants the best for your child. Ask Him.
- Lord, I pray my child would get caught doing right.
- “Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness” (Psalm 37:3). Just as much as you pray that your child would get caught doing wrong, pray they would get caught doing right. Children are a result of what they believe they are. If they believe they are worthless, they will respond with actions that lack value. But when we see them doing right and tell them what a great job they are doing, they will be more prone to want to continue doing right. Praise goes a long way.
5. Lord, I pray my child would believe the truth about who they are in Christ.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
Identity is foundational to each of us. Most of us take on an identity early in life and many times it sticks with us for life. It could be as simple as the school drop out, the pastor’s kid, the tall one, or the most popular. What if kids learned early that they are a child of the Most High God? What if they really believed they are chosen, and loved by Almighty God? Their identity will live with them for a long time. Pray that they would believe the truth about who they are in Christ.