READ: Matthew 25:1-13
So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
1 Peter 4:1-2 (NLT)
Many are called but few are chosen! For various reasons, few end up being chosen! In this story, we see ten virgins being invited to a wedding. Few ended up being chosen to actually participate in the wedding.
Foolishness is revealed when a person is short-sighted and cannot see the future. A foolish person cannot see the storm on the horizon. He carries on as though there is no problem.
A wise man will build a house on a rock because he knows that a storm will come. What will happen when the storm arrives? Will your house be standing after the storm has passed? Are you wise or foolish?
Why were some virgins described as foolish? Someone who sits in an exam room totally unprepared for the exam that is set before him can only be described as a fool. It is time to prepare for the future. It is time to be one of the wise virgins. Do not be left out by being a foolish virgin!
Prepare your mind to suffer for a long time. Five of the virgins were not expecting to go through that length of suffering. Ministry involves a long period of suffering. There is nothing like ministry without suffering. People drop off when they go through hard times. You must arm yourself with the mind that you are going to suffer for a long time. If you do not arm yourself with a certain mind, you will be discouraged by what you go through. You should not expect to have a big church, a big car or a big house anytime soon. You should expect to be in difficulty for a long time. It is only when you arm yourself with this kind of mind that you will overcome foolishness.