The parable of the 10 virgins as given by Jesus teaches us preparation on different aspects.
Jesus had put forth the parable with respect to kingdom preparation, but the word of God is not limited, as thus proven.
Drawing from this parable, what does God teach the single men and women on preparations necessary before the arrival of the bridegroom?
OIL AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE:
Oil is a substance for lubrication. It works by minimizing possible frictions between two connected bodies, objects or surfaces.
Oil figuratively acts as a smoother between persons having dissimilar ideas or interest, conflict or clash.
Lamp is a device which gives light or illumination.
In our context, a lamp is the physical endowment an individual possesses which is visible to any person at sight.
This could be body shape, physique, height, smile, beauty, long hair, beautiful eyes and fingers, intellect, financial status, socio-economic status, family background, etc.
Oil in this context are those virtues, qualities, behaviours, skills, attitudes, of which are: (but not limited to) kindness, peace, love, gracious words, forgiving spirit, endurance, wisdom, cleanliness, patience, home-keeping abilities, culinary skills, hard-work, diligence, prayerfulness, morals, tolerance, etc.
Now the five foolish virgins neglected the oil because they had the lamps.
They were content with the lamp alone forgetting that it requires oil to keep it burning and it requires oil to be friction-free.
While the bridegroom tarries (singlehood) the single man and woman ought to take advantage of the time to prepare themselves by taking adequate oil to keep their lamps burning.
A time will come when the lamp will cease to give light due to lack of oil and will therefore mean nothing or become useless.
I heard a man whose wife is so pretty say “I truly don’t see any beauty in her anymore because her character is stinky”.
At this point, her beauty has become useless or vain.
When beauty, body shape or whatever endowment are no longer able to sustain the marriage, friction sets in. But if there is extra oil, the union will always be renewed with the lubricant.
In verse 8-9, trouble has set in, now those unprepared singles begin to seek assistance from their friends and acquaintances who had gotten themselves prepared during the waiting period.
Be mindful at such times because their continual wearying might drain the oil of the prepared. That’s why the wise virgins refused to give the foolish out of their oil.
Some persons in this category get offended and murmur due to a long period of waiting. But to the wise, it is a time of adequate preparation.
You need to take as much oil as possible so that it will carry you through to the midnight cry. DEAR SINGLES, WAIT PATIENTLY AND WHILE YOU WAIT, HAVING THE LAMP ISN’T ENOUGH, YOU NEED EXTRA OIL.
