OUR Lord and Master teaches us who among His servants shall receive His special approval at His coming. He does not single out for this high honor the more choicely gifted, or the most notable; no, He marks for His praise those who are truest to Himself, and most faithful to the work to which they are appointed.
“Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching." (Luke 12:3737Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. (Luke 12:37).) Such are most true to Himself. They sink not to sleep as do so many. Whether it be the second or the third watch, they are waiting for Him. No temptation calls them from their honorable post of looking for His return, but with “loins girded about," and with "lamps burning," they "wait for their Lord," "that when He cometh and knocketh, they may open unto Him immediately."
It may seem but a poor post to be a porter. Usually the greater part of the house retires to slumber, and leaves for one or two the service of opening the door at midnight. But the highest honor granted to the servant is meted to him whose love to his Master chases away sleep from his soul. Such servants are blessed, and shall be highly honored: the Master's words are, “Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." “Let us watch," therefore.
Again, the word is, "Blessed is that servant whom the Lord when He cometh shall find so doing." The " doing " is giving to the household " their portion of meat in due season." This activity does not, perhaps, commend itself as remarkable, but such as have watched the career of Christian men know full well that it is remarkable when a servant of the Master plods on with the work his Master has appointed to him. Such servants are not common. Possibly they are not much heard of, and are but little seen by the great world. Good servants in a household are not generally conspicuous, but the prosperity of the household is greatly established by the diligence of the servants in their appointed duties.
Toil on; labor on; do the work committed to you, servants of Christ, and in the day that is coming great shall be your reward —the Master shall make you a ruler.
Let us carefully consider these words twice uttered, "whom the Lord when He cometh shall find." On that day it will not be asked, What shall So-and-so say, and what will So-and-so think? Then it will be, What shall be found by "the Lord when He cometh "? The servant and the master are brought close together in our Lord's words, even as shall be the case on “that day."
Shall “the Lord when He cometh" find us "watching " for Him, and "doing " that to which He has appointed us?