To teach about the Kingdom of God, Jesus used parables: simple stories that revealed deep truths to open hearts.
This devotional plan is an invitation to the journey of knowing the parables of Jesus in a new way. Often, our familiarity with these narratives prevents us from seeing their power to shock and transform us.
Over the course of ten days, we will revisit these tales, not as children’s stories, but as mirrors for our soul, discovering the impact and practical wisdom they contain for our lives today.
Day 1: The Lesson of the Soil – Preparing the Heart for the Word
Our journey begins with the fundamental parable, which Jesus used to explain all the others.
Before we can understand the truths of the kingdom, we first need to understand how we receive the truth in the first place.
The parable of the sower is not about the ability of the sower or the quality of the seed; It is entirely on the condition of the soil.
It serves as a spiritual diagnosis, forcing us to ask the most important question of all: what kind of heart have I presented to God?
the word of God It is alive and powerful, but its ability to bear fruit in us depends directly on the receptivity of our heart.
Bible Reading: Matthew 13:3-9
‘And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying, ‘The sower came out to sow.
As he sowed, part of the seed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and ate it.
part of it fell on stony ground, where there was not much land; And then it sprouted, because the earth was not deep. But when the sun came out, the plant was burned and dried up, because it had no root.
Another part fell among the thorns, which grew and suffocated the plant.
Another still fell on good land, gave a good harvest, to a hundred, sixty and thirty for one. He who has ears, listen!”
Reflection:
In this parable, the seed is the same for all: the word of the kingdom. The sower (God) stings her generously. The variable that changes the result is the soil, which represents four types of human responses to the gospel.
The Soil by the wayside It is the hardened heart, where the truth cannot even penetrate and is quickly stolen by the enemy.
The stony It represents the superficial heart, which receives the word with an emotional joy, but has no depth. In the first difficulty, this faith withers.
The thorny It’s the divided heart. The word even begins to grow, but the ‘concerns of this life and the deception of riches’ – the thorns – suffocate it, preventing it from bearing fruit.
Finally, the good soil It is the prepared heart, which listens, understands and retains the word, allowing it to take deep roots and produce an abundant harvest. This parable calls us to an honest self-assessment. It is not enough just to hear the word; We actively need to cultivate a heart that is good soil for it.
Practical application:
Our practical application goes through 3 simple steps:
- Heart soil audit;
- removing the ‘weeds’;
- the practice of rumination.
Heart soil audit
Take time today for an honest audit. Draw four quadrants on a sheet of paper, each representing a soil type.
In each quadrant, list the attitudes or situations in your life that resemble that soil. For example, in ‘Thinny Solo’ you can list ‘excessive concern with work’ or ‘desire for more things’. In ‘Stony Solo’, ‘Search for emotional experiences instead of a deep commitment’.
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the true condition of your heart.
Removing the ‘weeds’
Choose one of the ‘thorns’ you’ve identified that you’re suffocating your spiritual life. It could be excessive time on social media, concern for the opinion of others or financial anxiety.
Create a practical and specific action plan to ‘pull’ this weed today. If it’s the cell phone, set a period of 2 hours to go offline. If it’s anxiety, practice the delivery exercise we learn in another devotional.
Act intentionally to clean the soil.
The practice of rumination
To be a ‘good soil’, we need to retain the word. Choose a single verse that impacted you today. Instead of just reading it, ‘ruminate it’. Repeat it to yourself several times. Think of every word. How does it apply to your life? How does he change his perspective? Write it on a post-it and place it in a visible place.
The goal is to take the seed from the surface to the depths of your heart.
Day 2: The Heart of the Father – The Parable of the Prodigal Son
This is perhaps the most beloved parable and one of the richest in theological and emotional meaning.
Told by Jesus in response to the murmuring of the Pharisees, who criticized him for associating with sinners, this story reveals the heart of God in an incomparable way. It is not just about the rebellion of a son, but about the extravagant grace of a father.
The parable confronts us with two ways of being lost: the licentious rebellion of the younger son and the bitter justice of the eldest son. And, at the center of everything, is the figure of the Father, who runs, embraces and celebrates, challenging all our notions of worthiness and inviting us to the feast of grace.
Bible Reading: Luke 15:20-24
‘Then he got up and went to his father. Being still far away, his father saw him and, full of compassion, ran to his son, and hugged him and kissed him.
The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
But the Father said to his servants, ‘Hold! Bring the best clothes and wear them. Place a ring on your finger and shoes on your feet. Bring the fat steer and kill it.
Let’s have a party and rejoice. for this son of mine was dead and came back to life; was lost and was found. And they started celebrating.’
Reflection:
The climax of the story is not the child’s repentance, but the father’s reaction. As the son rehearsed a speech to be accepted back as a mere servant, the father was already running towards him.
In the culture of the time, a patriarch would never run; It would be a loss of dignity. But the father’s love surpassed any protocol. He does not expect speech, does not require penance. He covers him with kisses, restoring his dignity, and dresses him with symbols of full filiation: the best clothes, the ring (authority) and the shoes (children were wearing shoes; slaves, no).
This is the image of our God. Often, when we sin, we are distant, rehearsing speeches of how to bargain our way back to God.
But the father is on the porch, anxiously waiting, ready to run towards us at the first sign of our return. the grace ofHe is not a reluctant acceptance; It’s a feast, an extravagant celebration.
The parable teaches us that the way back to God is not based on our dignity or on our speech, but solely on the Father’s compassion and redeeming love.
Practical application:
Our practical application goes through 3 simple steps:
- rewrite the ending;
- Identify self-righteousness;
- The Feast of Grace.
rewrite the ending
Many of us identify with the prodigal son, but we imagine a different ending. rewrite the end of the story from the moment the child comes home, but this time, with the reaction that you You think you deserve it. Maybe a sermon? a trial period? An acceptance as a servant? Compare your ending to the end of Jesus.
Use this comparison to meditate on how radical and different God’s grace is in relation to our human worthiness of worthiness. Thank God that He does not react as we would.
Identify self-righteousness
Read the second part of the parable (Luke 15:25-32), the story of the older brother. Make a list of his characteristics: he was a worker, obedient, but also full of anger, self-righteousness and unable to rejoice in the grace granted to his brother.
- In what areas of your life do you act like your older brother?
- Do you hold resentment of someone who has been forgiven?
- Do you feel superior to other Christians because of your discipline?
Ask God to reveal and heal the ‘proper justice’ in your heart.
The Feast of Grace
God’s grace must lead to celebration. Today, do something to celebrate the grace of God in your life. It could be to listen to an album of praise focused on forgiveness, write a letter of gratitude to God for a specific sin from which he freed you, or even share your testimony of grace with a trusted friend. Do not allow God’s forgiveness to become something common; Turn it into a party reason.
Day 3: The Love Test – The Parable of the Good Samaritan
‘Who is my neighbor?’ This was the question of a law expert who, trying to justify himself, gave Jesus the opportunity to tell one of his most confronting parables.
The story of the Good Samaritan breaks all the racial, religious and social barriers of the time. It radically redefines the concept of ‘next’, by moving it from a question of identity (‘who qualifies for my love?’) to a question of action (‘who can I show love?’).
The parable forces us to leave our comfort zone and confront our prejudice and indifference, teaching us that true biblical love is not a feeling, but a costly verb of action in favor of those in need.
Bible Reading: Luke 10:33-35
‘But a Samaritan, while traveling, came to where the man was, and when he saw him, he had mercy on him.
He approached, bandaged his wounds, pouring wine and oil on them.
Then he placed it on his own animal, took him to an inn and took care of him.
The next day, he gave two denarii to the host and said to him, ‘Take care of him. When I come back, I will pay all the expenses you have.”
Reflection:
The unexpected hero of the story is a Samaritan. For the Jews of the time, the Samaritans were despised enemies, considered unclean and heretics. Jesus, by placing him as the example of love, shocked his listeners deeply.
While the religious leaders (the priest and the Levite) saw the wounded man and ‘passed the other side’, the Samaritan ‘saw and had mercy.’ His compassion was not a passive feeling; She moved him to action.
Notice the cost of the Samaritan’s love: he took a risk (the road was dangerous), he used his own resources (wine, oil, bandages), he sacrificed his time and comfort (put the man on his animal and took care of it), and he compromised his finances (He paid the inn and promised to pay more). His love was practical, sacrificial and complete.
In the end, Jesus does not ask ‘who was the next of the wounded man?’, but ‘which of these three do you think was next?’. The answer is clear: the next is the one who makes himself close, who acts with mercy.
Practical application:
Our practical application goes through 3 simple steps:
- the challenge of crossing the street;
- the resource inventory;
- The practice of compassionate gaze.
The challenge of crossing the street
Think of a ‘group’ or ‘type of person’ that you, like the priest and the Levite, tend to ‘cross the street’ to avoid. They can be people of a different political affiliation, people of another social class, or even that difficult neighbor.
Today, say a specific prayer for that person or group, asking God to replace your indifference or prejudice with the compassion that the Samaritan felt. Ask God for an opportunity to demonstrate a small act of mercy.
The resource inventory
The Samaritan used what he had on hand: his time, his animal, his oil, his money. Make a list of the resources that God has given you.
Don’t just think about money. Include your time, your professional skills, your talents (cooking, listening, organizing), your car, your home. Next to each feature, think of a practical way of how you could use it this week to ‘pack the wounds’ of someone who is in need around you.
The practice of compassionate gaze
The Samaritan’s compassion began when he really saw the man. Today, practice the ‘Compassionate Look’.
Instead of rushing people on their way (at the supermarket, at work, on the street), slow down. Look at people’s faces.
Try to imagine your stories, your struggles, your pains. Say a little silent prayer for one of the people you ‘saw’: ‘Lord, bless that person. Show her your love today.’ This exercise trains our hearts to get out of indifference and enter compassion.
Day 4: The Proof of Fidelity – The Parable of the Talents
How do we manage what God entrusts to us? This is the central question of the parable of the talents. The story is not primarily about financial investments, but about the faithful stewardship of gifts, resources, opportunities and the very life that God has given us.
Jesus tells this parable in the context of his teachings on the end of time and his second coming, reminding his disciples that one day we will all give an account of how we use what we receive.
Christ challenges us to live with a sense of purpose and urgency, using all that we are and have not for our own benefit, but for the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord.
Bible Reading: Matthew 25:20-21
‘He who had received five talents brought the other five and said, ‘The Lord has entrusted me with five talents; see, I have gained five more.’ sir!”
Reflection:
In this parable, a ‘talent’ was a measure of great value, equivalent to many years of salary.
The Lord distributes the talents ‘to each according to his ability’. This teaches us that God knows us individually and entrusts us responsibilities that we are capable of managing.
The first two servants, understanding that the talents belonged to their lord, immediately ‘got to negotiate’ and doubled the investment. They did not act out of fear, but out of a desire to honor the one who entrusted them so much.
The third servant, on the other hand, acted on the basis of a distorted view of his Lord, whom he called ‘severe man.’ Fear paralyzed him, and he buried his talent. The central point of the parable is that the praise of the Lord – ‘good and faithful servant’ – was identical for what gained five and for which he gained two talents.
The reward was not based on amount of the return, but quality of fidelity. God does not compare us to one another; He evaluates our faithfulness to what He has entrusted to us. The parable is a call to get out of the paralysis of fear and comparison, and to act boldly and faith, investing the ‘talents’ that God has given us for His glory.
Practical application:
Our practical application goes through 3 simple steps:
- the inventory of your ‘talents’;
- the step of faithful risk;
- the celebration of multiplication.
The inventory of your ‘talents’
Make an honest list of the ‘talents’ that God has entrusted to you. Think beyond money or obvious spiritual gifts. Include your natural talents (communication, organization, creativity, etc.), your professional experience, your network of relationships, your free time, your health.
Next to each item, ask yourself: ‘How do I havenegotiatedWith this talent for the Kingdom of God? or II buriedOut of fear or negligence?’ Choose a ‘buried’ talent and think of a practical step to start investing it this week.
The Faithful Risk Step
The useless servant was paralyzed by the fear of failing. Faithful servants took a risk. Today, identify a ‘faithful risk’ that you can run. It can be to invite a friend to the church, volunteer for a new role in the ministry that takes you out of your comfort zone, or start that difficult conversation you’ve been postponed.
Ask God for the courage to act in faith, trusting that the result belongs to Him, and to you, fidelity.
the celebration of multiplication
The parable ends with an invitation to ‘participate in the joy of your Lord.’ God rejoices in our faithfulness.
Today, think of an area where you have seen God multiply your small efforts. It can be a relationship that has been restored, a project at work that worked, a son who is growing up in the faith. Take a moment to celebrate this.
Thank God specifically for using your little faithfulness to produce a fruit. This will encourage you to continue investing your talents.
Day 5: The Prayer that pleases God – the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican
How do we approach God in prayer? What is the heart attitude he accepts? With a short and incisive story, Jesus contrasts two prayer postures that represent the two poles of the human condition: self-righteousness and brokenness
The parable of the Pharisee and the publican is a powerful warning against the subtle danger of spiritual pride, which can disguise itself with piety and discipline. It teaches us that, before a holy God, it is not our accomplishments that recommend us to Him, but the humble recognition of our total need for His mercy.
Bible Reading: Luke 18:13-14
‘But the publican stayed at a distance. He didn’t even dare look at the sky, but beating his chest, he said: ‘God, have mercy on me, who am a sinner. humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Reflection:
The Pharisee and the publican represent extremes of Jewish society. The Pharisee was the model of religious uprightness.
His prayer was, in fact, a monologue of self-exaltation, a list of his virtues and a proud comparison with the ‘other men’, especially with the publican.
He didn’t ask God for anything, because he believed he didn’t need anything. The publican, on the other hand, was a tax collector, considered a traitor and a notorious sinner. His physical posture reflected his inner attitude: he stood at a distance, he didn’t dare look at the sky and beat his chest, a sign of deep anguish and regret.
His prayer is one of the shortest and most powerful in the Bible: ‘God, have mercy on me, who am a sinner.’ He offers no excuses, does not list his qualities. His only claim is God’s mercy.
And Jesus’ conclusion is shocking to his hearers: the repentant sinner, not the proud religious, went home justified. Justified means ‘declared righteous’ before God.
The parable teaches us that the gateway to the presence of God is not our curriculum of good works, but our confession of necessity. God’s grace flows downward, into the valleys of humility, not into the peaks of pride.
Practical application:
Our practical application goes through 3 simple steps:
- the diagnosis of the heart of prayer;
- the practice of the publican’s prayer;
- the end of the comparison.
The diagnosis of the heart of prayer
Analyze your own prayers from the last week.
- Did they look more like the Pharisee or the publican’s?
- Have you spent more time listing your accomplishments or confessing your needs?
- Did you compare yourself to others?
- Did you ask for mercy?
Be honest. Write a sentence or two that describe the ‘temperature’ of your current prayer heart.
The Practice of Publican Prayer
During this week, begin all your prayer periods with the prayer of the publican. Before making any requests or thanksgiving, simply say with sincerity, ‘God, have mercy on me, that I am a sinner’.
Use this phrase as an ‘entry portal’, a constant reminder that your access to God is not based on your performance, but solely on the grace of Christ. Let this truth humiliate your heart and prepare you for genuine communion.
The end of comparison
The central sin of the Pharisee was the comparison: ‘I am not like other men.’ Today, be aware of every thought of comparison that arises in your mind, whether to feel superior or inferior to someone.
Every time such a thought appears, stop and confront it with the truth of the parable. Remember that, before the cross, ‘all have sinned and are destitute of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23) and that we are all equally dependent on the same mercy.
Day 6: The Shepherd’s Heart – The Parable of the Lost Sheep
How does God feel about the lost? And how does he feel about one of his children who deviates?
In a series of three parables in Luke 15, Jesus answers this question.
The first of them, that of the lost sheep, gives us a moving image of the heart of God like that of a shepherd who does not rest until he finds what is his. History challenges human logic.
Leaving ninety-nine sheep safe to look for one that was lost seems like a bad deal.
But the logic of the kingdom is not that of accounting, but that of redeeming love, which assigns an infinite value to each individual.
Bible Reading: Luke 15:4-7
‘Which of you who, possessing a hundred sheep, and losing one, do not leave the ninety-nine in the field and go after the lost sheep, until they find it?
When he arrives, he gathers his friends and neighbors and says: ‘Rejoice with me, for I found my lost sheep’.
I tell you that, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven for a sinner who repents than for ninety-nine righteous who need not repent.’
Reflection:
The emphasis of this parable is on the pastor’s initiative and joy. The sheep is lost, unable to find its way back by itself. It is the pastor who ‘goes after’ her ‘until he finds her’.
This is a portrait of our condition: when we are lost in our sin, we do not have the ability to return to God by our own efforts. It is He who seeks us, who takes the initiative of salvation. The Good Shepherd, Jesus, came to ‘seek and save what was lost’ (Luke 19:10).
Watch the shepherd’s reaction when he finds the sheep. There is no rebuke, there is no punishment. There is only joy. He places it ‘happily on the shoulders’ – a gesture of tenderness and care – and carries it back to the safety of the herd.
His joy is so great that he cannot contain it; He calls his friends and neighbors to a party. Jesus concludes by saying that this is the image of the joy of heaven. Heaven celebrates not because of our perfection, but because of our repentance and return.
This parable comforts us with the truth that we are precious to God and that His love for us is a love that seeks, rescues and celebrates.
Practical application:
Our practical application goes through 3 simple steps:
- ‘One’ prayer;
- the light burden;
- the practice of celebration.
‘One’ Prayer
Think of ‘a’ person in your life who is spiritually lost or away from God. It can be a family member, a friend, a co-worker. Today, commit yourself to being a ‘shepherd’ in prayer for that person.
Take a specific time to pray for her by name, asking the Good Shepherd to find her, place her on her shoulders and bring her back home. Ask God for a heart of compassion for that person, instead of one of judgment.
the light burden
The sheep was carried back. Today, identify a burden of guilt or shame you are trying to carry on your own because of a deviation or sin in your life. Meditate on the image of Christ the Good Shepherd, putting you on the shoulders ofhe.
Say a prayer of surrender, visualizing yourself being carried by Him. Accept the rest and security that come from knowing that He is the one who carries you, and not you who need to find their way back alone.
the practice of celebration
Heaven rejoices in repentance. Today, look for an opportunity to celebrate the grace of God. Did you hear a testimony from someone who returned to the church? Celebrate and thank God. Did you even have a victory over a sin?
Share with a trusted friend and celebrate together. Participate in the joy of heaven. Develop the habit of rejoicing not only with your blessings, but with the manifestation of God’s grace in the lives of others.
Day 7: The Mathematics of Forgiveness – The Parable of the Incompassionable Creditor
After receiving God’s extravagant forgiveness, how should we treat those who offend us?
This parable, told by Jesus in response to Peter’s question about how often he should forgive his brother, is one of the most sober and challenging. It establishes a direct and undeniable connection between the forgiveness we receive from God and the forgiveness we offer to others.
History shows us the madness of, having been forgiven of an unpayable debt, we refuse to forgive the insignificant debt of our neighbor. It is a powerful calling so that the grace we receive does not end in us, but flow through us.
Bible Reading: Matthew 18:26-27, 32-33
‘The servant prostrated himself before him and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all’.
[…]
Then the Lord called the servant and said, ‘I’m a bad servant, I canceled all your debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you have had the mercy of your keep as I had of you?”
Reflection:
The scale of debts in the parable is intentionally disproportionate to illustrate the point of Jesus. Ten thousand talents was an astronomical amount, literally unpayable, representing our debt of sin before God.
One hundred denarii was a significant amount (about 100 working days), but absolutely insignificant compared to the first, representing the offenses that others commit against us. The servant, having received unimaginable mercy, immediately leaves and acts without any mercy to his debtor.
The wrath of the Lord in the parable is severe. He calls the servant ‘bad’ not because of his original debt, but because of his lack of forgiveness.
The lesson is clear: the refusal to forgive others reveals a fundamental failure to understand the enormity of forgiveness we receive from God.
If we really understand that our ten thousand talent debt was canceled on the cross, how can we dare to suffocate our brother by a one hundred denarii debt? Retaining forgiveness is, in practice, to despise the grace of God.
The forgiveness we offer is not what win God’s forgiveness, but it is the evidence that we truly we received.
Practical application:
Our practical application goes through 3 simple steps:
- the grace calculator;
- the act of liberating;
- the practice of empathy.
The Grace Calculator
Do an imagination exercise. Take a sheet and write at the top ‘My debt to God’.
List some categories of sin (words, thoughts, omissions). Next, write the symbolic value of ‘10,000 talents’. Now, at the bottom of the sheet, write ‘the debt of others with me’.
List one or two specific offenses that someone has committed against you and that you are having trouble forgiving.
Next to it, write ‘100 denarii’. Look at the disproportion. Use this leaf as a catalyst for prayer, asking God for a heart that forgives, shaped by gratitude for your immense forgiveness.
the act of releasing
Forgiveness is a decision, not a feeling. Identify a person you need to forgive. You don’t need to talk to the person if you are not wise or possible. Instead, make a ‘release act’ in prayer.
Say aloud, ‘Lord, I choose to forgive[nome da pessoa]through the[ofensa específica]. I release this person from the debt he owes me, just as you freed me from my unpayable debt. I give it into your hands.’
Repeat this prayer whenever resentment returns.
The practice of empathy
The lack of forgiveness often comes from the lack of empathy. Today, try to put yourself in the place of the person who offended you. What could be the insecurities, fears or pains that led her to act that way? Remember that ‘wounds hurt’.
This exercise is not to justify the person’s mistake, but to humanize them, which softens our hearts and makes the path of forgiveness a little easier to tread.
Day 8: The Value of the Kingdom – The Parable of the Treasure and Pearl
What is worth more to you? What captured your heart to the point where you are willing to give up everything else for it?
With two very short and similar parables, Jesus illustrates the supreme and incomparable value of the kingdom of heaven.
Both in the history of the treasure found by chance and that of the pearl intently sought after, the protagonist’s reaction is the same: an overwhelming joy that leads them to sell everything they have to acquire what they have found.
Parables teach us that the relationship with Christ and citizenship in his kingdom are not just ‘another good thing’ in our lives; They are the most valuable thing there is, worthy of all our investment and affection.
Bible Reading: Matthew 13:44-46
‘The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.
A man, having found him, hid him again, and then, full of joy, went, he sold everything he had and bought that field.
The Kingdom of Heaven is also like a dealer looking for precious pearls. Finding a pearl of great value, it was, he sold everything he had and bought it.’
Reflection:
The two parables complement each other. The man who finds the treasure was not looking for him; It was an accidental discovery. This represents those who find Christ without a conscious search, perhaps through an unexpected invitation or a circumstance of life.
The pearl dealer, on the other hand, was an experienced seeker; He knew what he was looking for and recognized the supreme value of that pearl. This represents those who come to Christ after an intentional search for truth and meaning.
In both cases, the discovery generates two identical reactions. the first is the joy. The discovery of the kingdom is not a burden, but the greatest joy imaginable. the second is the radical action.
They ‘sold everything they had’. This is not about selling literal goods, but about a total reorientation of priorities. When we find Christ, everything else—our ambitions, our relationships, our resources, our time—lose their supreme value in comparison.
The parable challenges us to evaluate: Is Christ really our treasure? Is he our pearl of great value? Or have we kept other ‘treasures’ that prevent us from surrendering completely to him?
Practical application:
Our practical application goes through 3 simple steps:
- the inventory of treasures;
- the ‘cost’ of the pearl;
- the expression of joy.
The Inventory of Treasures
Make an honest list of the ‘treasures’ that compete for your heart. Where do you invest most of your time, money and emotional energy? The options can be: financial security, career success, comfort, the approval of others, your hobbies.
There is nothing wrong with these things themselves, but the question is, are they more valuable to you than your relationship with Christ?
Identify a ‘treasure’ that has taken an undue place and say a prayer of reconsecration, declaring that Christ is your greatest good.
The ‘cost’ of the pearl
The dealer sold everything. Think of a specific thing you need to ‘sell’ – or give up – to ‘buy’ more of the kingdom of God. It can be a habit that robs you of your devotional time, a relationship that takes you away from God, or an ambition that is not aligned with the will ofhe.
Write what you need to ‘sell’ and which ‘treasure part’ (more peace, more intimacy with God, more purpose) you will earn in return. Ask God for the strength to make this exchange.
The expression of joy
The discovery of the treasure generated an overflowing joy. Often, our Christian life becomes a serious and joyless routine. Today, do something to express the joy of having found Christ.
Sing a loud praise, dance in your room, write a poem of gratitude, or simply take the time to marvel at the salvation you received. Recover the joy of your salvation and let it be the motivation for your obedience.
Day 9: The Unexpected Grace – The Parable of the Workers of the Vine
God’s grace offends our sense of justice and worthiness. This is the shocking lesson of the parable of the vineyard workers.
In a story that seems to be about work and wages, Jesus completely subverts expectations to teach about the nature of God’s sovereign grace.
The parable confronts our tendency to compare ourselves with others, to feel wronged and to believe that we somehow deserve God because of our time of service or our effort.
It reminds us that, in the Kingdom, the logic is not that of merit, but that of the generosity of a God who delights in giving good gifts to his children.
Bible Reading: Matthew 20:13-15
‘But he replied to one of them: ‘Friend, I’m not being unfair to you. You didn’t agree to work for a denarius? Get what’s yours and go. I want to give what was hired last the same 6that I gave you. I have no right to do what I want with my money? Or are you jealous because I’m generous?”7
Reflection:
The parable describes a landowner who hires workers at different times of the day, but in the end, he pays everyone the same salary as a denarius, the fair value for a day’s work. The reaction of those who worked all day under the sun is one of indignation.
They do not complain that their payment was unfair (they received what was agreed), but that it was ‘unfair’ that the others, who worked less, received the same. Their complaint is born of comparison and envy.
The owner’s answer is the key to the parable and reveals the character of God. First, he states his justice: ‘I’m not being unfair to you. You didn’t agree…?’ (v. 13). God never violates his justice. Second, he claims his sovereignty and generosity: ‘I want to give… I have no right to do what I want with my money?’ (v. 14-15).
Grace is, by definition, an unmerited gift. God owes us nothing. The fact that He gives us salvation and eternal life is an act of pure generosity. The parable challenges us to stop looking to the side, at what others are receiving, and to simply marvel at the grace we ourselves receive, without any merit of us.
Practical application:
Our practical application goes through 3 simple steps:
- the examination of the envious heart;
- the practice of celebration;
- the reminder of the ‘denary’;
The Envious Heart Examination
Be honest with yourself: in which area of your life have you compared yourself to others and felt wronged? It may be at work (someone has been promoted and you are not), in church (someone else’s ministry seems more fruitful), or in personal life. Write this situation.
Now, confess that feeling to God as a sin of envy, recognizing that he is born from a failure to trust in God’s goodness and sovereignty for his own life.
the practice of celebration
Envy is the opposite of the celebration. Today, find an opportunity to celebrate the blessing that God has given to another person. It could be a friend who got a new job, a couple who announced a pregnancy, or a brother from the church who shared a testimony.
Instead of feeling a twinge of envy, make a deliberate choice to rejoice with that person.
Send a message of congratulations, say a prayer of thanks for her life, or simply say to God, ‘Thank you, Lord, for your generosity in my brother’s life’.
The ‘Denary’ reminder
Remember that in the parable of salvation, we are all the workers of the last hour. No matter how long we serve God or how hard we strive, the reward of eternal life is a ‘denary’ of pure grace that none of us deserved.
Meditate today on the truth of Ephesians 2:8-9: ‘For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from you, it is the gift of God; not by works, that no one may boast.’
Let the gratitude for this unmerited gift silence any murmuring about what others receive.
Day 10: The Surveillance Alert – The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Our journey through the parables ends with a look to the future. Told by Jesus in his sermon on the end of time, the parable of the ten virgins is a solemn call to preparation and vigilance.
The story is not about the amount of good works, but about the reality of a genuine and persevering faith. It reminds us that there will be a final separation between those who only appear to be followers of Christ and those who truly are.
The parable is not intended to scare us, but to awaken us, to exhort us to examine the authenticity of our own faith and to live each day in the expectation of the return of the bridegroom.
Bible Reading: Matthew 25:10-13
‘It turns out that when they went to buy it, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were prepared entered with him for the nuptial feast. And the door was closed.
Later, the others came too and said, ‘Lord! Mr! Open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘The truth is that I don’t know them’. So watch, because you don’t know the day or the hour.’
Reflection:
In the parable, all ten virgins had lamps and they were all waiting for the bridegroom. Apparently they were all the same, the difference was in the oil. Five of them, the prudent ones, brought bowls of extra oil.
The other five, the foolish ones, no. The oil in the Bible is often a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and here it represents the reality of a transformed inner life and a genuine faith, which cannot be borrowed or acquired at the last minute.
When the groom was delayed (representing the time before Christ’s return), they all fell asleep, showing that both genuine and nominal believers can go through periods of spiritual drowsiness. The crisis – the midnight cry – revealed the true condition of each one.
The foolish virgins, trying to get oil at the last minute, missed the groom’s arrival. The door was closed, and the groom’s response is one of the most terrible in the Bible: ‘I don’t know them.’
This indicates that their faith was superficial; They had the appearance of followers, but they didn’t have a real relationship with him. The parable concludes with the central commandment of Jesus: ‘Therefore, watch.’
Practical application:
Our practical application goes through 3 simple steps:
- the oil check-up;
- the practice of expectation;
- investment in the relationship.
The oil check-up
Examine your own spiritual life today. Is your Christianity based on an external appearance (going to the church, having a Bible) or an inner and genuine relationship with Christ, nourished by the Holy Spirit?
Have you sought ‘extra oil’ through prayer, reading the word and communion, or have you lived on the basis of your initial ‘reserve’?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you if your lamp is full or if it needs to be replenished.
the practice of expectation
How can we ‘watch’? A practical way is to live each day with the awareness of the return of Christ. Today, when making his decisions, ask yourself: ‘If Jesus came back today, would he be pleased with this attitude of mine, of my word, of my choice?’.
Use this question as a filter for your actions. This should not generate fear, but a holy motivation to live in a way that honors you, ready to find you at any moment.
the investment in the relationship
The groom’s response, ‘I don’t know them’, reveals that the problem was the lack of a relationship.
The Christian life is not about following rules, but about knowing a person, Jesus. Today, invest in your relationship with Him. Instead of a hurried devotional, take extra time to simply ‘be’ with Him.
Talk to him as a friend. Hear a praise that exalts who he is. Read a portion of the Gospels, not to study, but to marvel at the person of Christ. The most effective surveillance is to cultivate a deep and daily friendship with the groom.
Conclusion: Knowing the parables of Jesus
Throughout these ten days, the simple stories of Jesus led us to a deep journey through the heart of the Kingdom of God.
We learn about the importance of our hearts being a good soil for the Word, about the extravagant grace of a father who runs towards us, and about the call to be ‘good Samaritans’ to the world.
In this devotional we were challenged to invest our talents faithfully, to approach God with the humility of a publican, and to rest in the care of a shepherd who seeks his lost sheep. We saw the supreme value of the kingdom, the offense of grace and the need to live vigilantes.
May these parables continue to echo in your heart. May they inspire you to see the spiritual realities behind the circumstances of your day to day.
And, above all, may they lead you to a deeper knowledge and a more intense love for the Master Storyteller, Jesus Christ, who not only spoke the truth, but which is the truth itself.
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