Staying Busy

Business means both an enterprise that intends to create income and simply “being busy.” In Luke 19:11-27, Jesus told the people who were going with Him to Zacchaeus’ home a parable about His Kingdom. In the story, a man went away to be crowned as a King. Before he left, he gave ten of his servants ten minas each.

That amounted to a little less than three years’ wages to each person. His instructions regarding their responsibility for the money was, “Do business with this until I return.”

Bees stay busy gathering flower nectar and converting it to honey. They are so busy, that by moving from flower to flower, they are inadvertently enabling farmers to grow crops for plants that require pollination to bear fruit. My dog stays busy by digging holes in my back yard. And by tearing up toys. Periodically, she contributes to the safety of the household by killing invading animals like opossums and moles. Most of her business is simply pointless work.

Jesus has co-missioned us in the earth to be busy about His father’s matters while He is away in Heaven. He has given us all sorts of valuables with which to do business. He will examine our work one day, and answer with reward or correction. The examination will include how well our relationship with Him has developed, not just how much work we did.

Busy yourself with Him. He will lead you into the operations in which He desires your co-operation. He will lead you into the missions in which He desires to co-mission you. His greater desire is being with you. That intimacy produces fruit, like the bees’ visits to the flowers.