Parable of the Ten Virgins – Don’t Miss the Most Important Invitation

 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

Matthew 25:13

Dear Friends,

Have you ever missed an incredible opportunity because of poor preparation or a moment of laziness? I have, and it’s a painful feeling. Missed moments often leave behind waves of regret, especially when those chances never return. Sometimes we’re given a second opportunity, but sometimes  . . .  we’re not.

A Missed Opportunity

It was the summer of 1981. I was fourteen years old and enjoying a wonderful summer working at a small camp nestled in the mountains of Pennsylvania. I had a dream job assisting in the camp’s horse program where I did everything from feeding the horses, teaching riding lessons, leading trail rides, and even mucking out the shed we proudly called our barn. For three months, I spent every waking moment shadowing the head wrangler, soaking up every bit of wisdom she offered.

But one day the camp director asked me to do a job in a different part of camp. I willingly agreed to the requested chore, but instead of returning immediately to the horse corral after its completion, I decided to take a little break. I hadn’t had much sleep the night before and told myself I deserved a little rest.

Unfortunately, during my brief absence, something extraordinary happened. 

One of our pregnant mares gave birth. 

A number of campers witnessed the miracle, but I missed it! 

I can’t describe the anguish I experienced when I returned to the barn and realized what had happened without me. The disappointment and regret of a missed opportunity haunted me for many years afterward. 

A Parable of the Ten Virgins

Jesus shared a story about a missed opportunity, too – a parable meant to prepare His disciples for His return. It involved ten young women waiting for a wedding feast, and it carried a sobering message about readiness.

In biblical times, weddings were huge, exciting affairs with certain traditions of ceremony and feasting. Towards the end of the wedding day, the groom and his attendants would travel to the bride’s home where she would be waiting with her friends and attendants. 

The large group would then travel through the streets to the groom’s home where they would celebrate with feasting and dancing. As the bride and groom proceeded along the darkened streets, others, waiting with lit lamps, could join in the procession.

In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, all ten girls waiting for the groom fell asleep. At midnight, they were awakened with the cry: “The bridegroom is coming!” They jumped up to light their lamps, but five of them realized they had no oil. They hadn’t brought extra. While they rushed off to buy more, the wedding procession passed by. The doors closed behind the groom and those who were ready.

When the five foolish virgins returned, it was too late. They were shut out.

No One Knows the Day or Hour Of Jesus’s Return

Jesus used the Parable of the Ten Virgins to make a vital point: He is coming again, but no one knows the day or the hour. The only way to be ready is to live each day alert and prepared.

Even now, centuries later, the warning still rings true. One day, the heavens will open and the King will come. At that time every eye will see Him, but only those who are ready will enter into the wedding feast. Those who are careless, distracted, and spiritually unprepared will be left behind, shut out of the joy.

I never did get over missing that foal’s birth in 1981. Thankfully, though, God has blessed me with other opportunities—watching the birth of kittens, puppies, goats, and even the miracle of my own five children entering the world. But some moments can never be repeated. Some doors, once closed, stay closed.

Don’t Miss Out

The message of the Parable of the Ten Virgins is clear: Don’t miss the most important moment of all. Stay alert. Be prepared. Make sure your lamp is full when the Bridegroom comes.

Love,

Mama

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