Competent Christians - Luke 17:7-10

When your job performance is annually reviewed where I work, there are five ratings for each of the performance criteria. The rating in the middle, No. 3, is called Competent. Competency is the minimum expected of every employee on every performance criteria. In this parable Jesus explains that when we obey God's commands, we are just doing what is expected--the minimum. Like the competent employee or the obedient servant in the parable, we are just doing our job when we obey God. Living the way God commands is your duty and not a virtue, so you are not entitled to a reward because you obey God's commands. Obeying God only makes you at best a "competent" Christian. When you obey God, you have only done what is your duty and that doesn't make you worthy or entitled to God's mercy, grace, or redemption. In this parable Jesus reminds us to acknowledge that as God's people we are unworthy servants and we should glorify God for the unmerited favor He gives us. God owes us nothing and we owe Him everything!