Being Real in 2024

 Matthew 24 gives us a lot of "reality check" material. Three narratives, the first two parables (which means we have to understand the purpose of a parable first of all and not interpret everything allegorically and/or as direct doctrine):

The first two are prefaced with "Then the kingdom of heaven will be likened to...." The word "then" means either time sequence or logical result. So back to the previous segment, which is pretty rough.

Wise and foolish virgins:  weren't ready.

Three servants: one wasn't ready and didn't invest the lesser resources he was given well, and called the master hard. 

 The last narrative is meant, I think to be read as pure prophecy. This is what will happen. "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the ^[c]holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory." This is a judgment, based on treatment of the weak and vulnerable, or at least those who the Son of Man considers His own. 

The first two are taken as related to individuals, in the teaching I have heard. Be ready and occupy your time here as a good steward of whatever you have been given. The last appears to be about "the nations," or that is how it is interpreted. 

I realize many have taught this chapter in ways meant to scare and threaten. I see them as comforts and warnings. God cares about your care of other humans. Period. That is your first priority. 

Which I need reminder of right now. I plan to publish my ninth novel, Long Lost Justice, on March 1. I've been working on it for up to four years; there was a big gap in there because I was working on two others and because I honestly got stuck with the plot. I am satisfied with it now. My tenth novel will be released about a month after that.   

Those two things, the new grandchild, and my paid work takes up 90% of my waking hours. So where is care for others?  How do I treat the vulnerable, weak, oppressed, truly poor? Clearly God puts a lot of value on that.