Wreaths and Relationships

  STALL: Longhand @ Ramah Studio on 24Apr26

"All the runners run but only one gets the prize.  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." ~ I Cor 9:24-25

Ambition under authority is an Olympian playing by the rules.  To get the prize, the winner relegates training partners, friends and strangers to penultimate importance.  Relationships are important, but what is most important to a champion is a wreath.

Relationships dictated the terms of the Bags of Gold.  "To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags and to another one bag, each according to his ability.  Then he went on his journey." @Matt 25:15.  'Ability' has 'able' at bottom.

Able in Latin is habilis: easy to manage or handy.  Ability in the Greek is dunamis: power, strength, ability, might, miracle.  Masterful decisions about gold were based on the employee's usefulness and gumption.  Ambition and submission to authority seemed the ticket.  Each servant's race, ended @ Mt 25:19, "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

"Well done good and faithful servant!" was the parable's wreath, but wreaths were distributed @ 25:21 and 25:23.  As, perhaps, bags of gold were given based on ability, were boughs of glory also given based on ability?  Was success more about the relationship with the master and less about comparisons between minions?

To legitimately flip gold, the increase has to be by the rules: dirty money causes problems.  A set of rules and a crown giver represent authority.  A chance to play for a crown requires ambition.  Both are present at Christian outreach among first responders.

To minister among first responders, gumption is required.  Ride alongs are the dynamite and Reliant employment the habilis.  An opportunity to be ambitious under authority, in today's ministry landscape, is solid gold.  Permission to crush something over and over again is rare.

An Olympian has to be able crush over and over again: fencing, curling, archery, ping pong.  Whatever the discipline, getting the prize demands a monstrous ambition: weekenders and Olympians differ.  To excel as a Reliant employee, the gaze has to be lifted from peers to the prize.  Reaching and maintaining a vision-driven, spiritually healthy and fully funded goal requires reps.

Flipping gold requires reps.  Wealth rarely increases on jackpots but little by little.  Getting [back] to a road chaplaincy rhythm is going to require reps.  Is taking 3-6 months to ramp back up to riding every shift OK?  Is using the balance of the 2026 to get back to 75-80% MTD OK?  Still sensing a call to, "Go down there, knock on the door and make some friends," makes demands.  Jesus is coming back and will settle accounts.

What one bag, two bag and five bag servants might have to offer is penultimate to what the author will offer.  In exchange for increasing what's been entrusted, a crown is anticipated.  Berserking under His banner until He comes seems the play.