We do not know how the administrator in the gospel parable was failing to perform his duty for his master. Perhaps he had gotten lazy or had gotten complacent and had stopped giving his best effort and so was merely negligent or perhaps was actually incompetent. Whatever he had done or had failed to do, it cost him his job. He does not seem surprised that his poor performance has merited his termination. The really sad part is that it is his notice of termination that prompts him to be creative, to be astute and to finally get to work. If he had been this creative and diligent all along, he probably would not have lost his job!

The scriptures call us to not get lazy or complacent or to rest on our past achievements. All of us have a task to do, a part to contribute towards the coming of God's reign and this work is ongoing throughout the whole of our lives. We cannot ever think we've completed our part and deserve to rest in the sweet praises of what we once had accomplished no more than we can delay until the approaching termination of our days on earth to spark us into action. We are called to make good use of the things of this world without becoming tainted by having used them, always remembering that things are not what are most important and they are always ultimately left behind.