An article written by my father, the Rev. C. Thomas Paige, as it appeared in the Tri-State Defender on the date shown.
“Then shall the kingdom be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them; But the wise took oil in their vessels and slept with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.” –Matthew 25:1-8
When the fire goes out, men become fools! The world is slowly becoming inhabited with fools. The fire that has made this world what it is today is slowly going out all over the world. The urges that inspired men of years ago to want to be something and somebody is no longer with us. The satisfaction of being just moral and spiritual pygmies is everywhere present.
The smaller we are, the happier we are.
There is a certain satisfaction that characterizes far too many of us to the extent that we live life at its fullest when we arouse ourselves to the fact that our lamps have gone out. How tragic it is that men will satisfy themselves with the idea that they are going to do or have just enough to merely get by! The desire to excel, the urge to want to be outstanding, the zeal to make outstanding contributions have gone from the hearts of far too many of us. We gloat over the fact that we have fine homes, cars, bank accounts, jobs, friends and the like, but the thing that means most to us is gone, all gone.
In far too many cases, we are somewhere sitting at the very door of great opportunity unprepared to go further. These foolish virgins — like many of us — never took under consideration that the unexpected might happen. Nevertheless, it did happen. With the delay of the arrival of the bridegroom, they allowed their lamps to burn and when the bridegroom did arrive, all of the oil had been consumed. Many — far too many — people of this day and generation so exhaust themselves in the non-essentials that when the time comes to shine, they are not ready.
This brings about a big question in my mind: did they really want to see the wedding? Is the man or woman who allows the non-essentials to detract them from the real things in life actually sincere in wanting to be what he sets out to be or is he just pretending?
I know people who tell me that they want to be this or that, but spend all their time in fine clothes, fine cars, and having a fine time.
It appears to me that, somewhere down the road, we must make up our minds about this or that.
Hard experience has taught and is still teaching men in all walks of like that you can not depend upon another man’s oil to accomplish your goals. If a man sets out to go on a journey and knows that it is going to take two tanks of gas and leaves home with half a tank and no money in his pocket, it forces me to believe that he did not intend to go. These foolish virgins who did not think in terms of the bridegroom being late or other things that could have happened miss the wedding for that same reason.
There are those of us today who are missing out on life because we fail to take into consideration the fact that somewhere down the line, we are going to run into the unexpected.
The lack of oil stands today as a monument of failure to those of us who have made up our minds that we are going to get through life on the minimum. Carrying a little extra oil was too bothersome for these foolish virgins. Putting forth a little extra effort to do something is too bothersome for many of us. We are rocking ourselves to sleep on the unfounded idea that someone else will give to us when we give out. I remember a little couplet I saw some years ago:
The heights attained by men and kept were not achieved by sudden flight but they, while their companions slept, were upward toiling in the night.
If life is going to mean anything to most of us, we are going to have to make up in our minds that were are going to have to carry along something extra — something extra in terms of moral fortitude, in terms of spiritual enlightenment, in terms of intellectual advancement. Then, and only then, will we lift ourselves above the category of being labeled “fools.”
View the entire archive of “The Pulpit Speaks” here.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
A nice sermon — I find it interesting that you posted this in the middle of the Olympics, in which the fire to excel that burns in all these athletes is symbolized by the Olympic Flame, which is not allowed to die.
A few points, though. First, the five virgins did not become fools when the fire went out; in their foolishness, they allowed their fires to go out. We, too, allow the fires of youth to die in the boredom of middle age. Second, the maidens were not going to see the wedding — they were to be his brides.
Finally, I love this part:
Wow. Is that not the whole point of the Social Security system, to take from others and give to those who did not plan and save for their own retirement?
AEM,
But what about those elderly that included income from the Social Security sytem in their retirement plans after having paid into the system for all these years?
The Social Security system is one of the things that I think our society got right. We take care of the elderly with at least a modest income after they retire.
Were they not the first one’s robbed, David?
Let us imagine a rather inventive thief who, to ingratiate himself with the people and keep himself out of jail, steals mostly from the rich (“That’s where the money is.”), gives away most of what he steals, but still keeps a good bit for himself and his cronies. (This is not a Robin Hood sort of thing. Robin Hood actually “recovered” ill-gotten tax collections, and returned the money to those who had paid it.) But now many of his former victims are poor. Is it right for him to repay those people with money stolen from still more people?
We must ask ourselves whether it is right for a thief to repay his first victims by stealing from yet more victims.
How “right” is Social Security? Perhaps our resident accountant could answer that. Vivian, what would happen to the executives of a company who set up a retirement system modeled on Social Security?
AEM,
It is remarkable that your entire last example might be explained by Luke Chapter 16 beginning with the first verse. Here you will find the parable of the Shrewd Manager.
Is it wrong for the American Public to seek the votes of the elderly?
I really love the Social Secutiy system beyond the Bible. But it suits my purposes that the parable of the Shrewd Manager defends it.
I think Jesus would support Social Security.
I’m afraid you quite misunderstand the parable. Try this explanation.
Even so, Jesus, in accord with the rest of the Bible, speaks always of individual aid to the poor. The government is told only not to oppress the poor.
“Is it wrong for the American Public to seek the votes of the elderly?”
Ends do not justify means.
Guffaw,
That piece about the Shrewd Manager that you point to is a real piece of work. How do you explain it in light of ALL THE REST of Jesus’s preachings? Does it match the rest? Nope.
Jesus would have loved Social Security. Do I need to start quoting all of the rest of his preachings to prove my point? I can quote them in favor of Social Security almost without number. Now can you quote even one that says it is wrong? Even one?
Oh, and in light of Luke Chapter 16, ends does justify the means. You’re supposed to use your ill gotten gains to gain good friends. The Bible expains it.
So, He was saying it is OK to steal? No, I don’t think so. You see, He does explain it:
Luke 16:9-13
What He says is “another man’s” is mammon in general. Our is the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, He tells us to be “faithful in what is least” (mammon), particularly in verse 11: “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (i.e., the Kingdom of Heaven).
Certainly, one cannot consider taking what is not yours either “faithful” or “just.”
I think you are quoting from King James. But let me quote:
“…make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.”
I think the NIV makes it more clear, but even your interpretation is understandable enough.
Here is the NIV translation of that verse (Luke 16:9):
Indeed, where the KJV has “unrighteous mammon,” the NIV has “worldly wealth.” Not all worldly wealth is ill-gotten. Wealth is, however, “unrighteous.” But not in the sense that it is evil, either. Paul wrote (1 Timothy 6:10): “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” He did not write that money is a root of evil, but the love of money.
And thus, in the Luke passage above, Jesus said, “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”