The Rhythm of Readiness

Today’s article is an important reminder and test laid out by Jesus in the parable of the Ten Virgins. Below is chapter 8 from the book “At Time to Return” that I published last summer. This test is so important, and lately I’ve been hearing more loudly that being ready is of the greatest importance. The article is making the case for how tithing assists us in this readiness, but we need to begin putting God in first place in all areas of our lives, finances obviously included. I hope you enjoy it. Let’s live ready.

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells a striking parable about ten virgins awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom. All ten start in the same place—waiting with anticipation. But only five bring extra oil, prepared for a delay. The others, caught off guard when the bridegroom finally arrives, find themselves shut out of the wedding feast.

This isn't just a story about oil or lamps—it's about spiritual readiness. The parable reminds us that following Jesus isn't only about how we start. It's about how we continue. It's about staying awake, staying filled, staying faithful—until the very end.

What's sobering about this parable is how similar the ten virgins appeared on the surface. They all had lamps. They all had some oil. They all claimed to be ready for the bridegroom's arrival. From the outside, you couldn't tell the difference between the wise and the foolish.

But when the crisis came, when the oil ran out, when the bridegroom was delayed longer than expected—that's when the difference became clear. The foolish virgins had enough oil for the short term, but not enough for the long haul. They were prepared for convenience, but not for cost.

This perfectly illustrates the difference between cultural Christianity and committed discipleship. Many people appear spiritually ready on Sunday morning, but the test comes Monday through Saturday. The question isn't whether we can maintain our spiritual appearance for a few hours—it's whether we can sustain our spiritual reality for a lifetime.

Tithing is one of those practices that separates appearance from reality. It's easy to look spiritual in a church service when you're not asked to sacrifice anything. It's simple to appear generous when generosity costs you nothing. But when the offering plate is passed, when the tithe is due, when your resources are on the line—that's when your true spiritual condition is revealed.

Tithing plays a quiet but powerful role in that spiritual readiness. When we tithe, we do more than give money—we shape our hearts. We build a rhythm of putting God first. With each tithe, we say, "Jesus, I'm living for You and Your Kingdom. I'm not living for myself." It's a regular declaration that our lives are aligned with eternity, not with temporary things.

This kind of readiness isn't abstract. It's not a hypothetical test—it's our daily reality. Jesus could return at any moment. Or we could step into eternity at any moment. Life moves forward moment by moment, and while we don't know when our final moment will be, we know it's coming.

The wise virgins weren't just prepared for the bridegroom's arrival—they were prepared for his delay. They understood that readiness isn't a one-time decision but an ongoing discipline. They brought extra oil because they knew that waiting well requires resources.

Tithing serves as our spiritual "extra oil." It's not just about being obedient in the moment—it's about building spiritual muscle that can sustain us through seasons of delay, difficulty, and testing. Each time we tithe, we're making a deposit in our spiritual readiness account.

The Battle for Attention

What makes readiness difficult today is not just sin—it's distraction. The sheer volume of noise in modern life numbs our spiritual awareness. According to The Times, the average American spends roughly 2.5 hours per day on social media. Teenagers spend even more—nearly 5 hours per day. Add to that the average 2 hours a day watching television (with those over 65 watching over 4 hours daily), and we're looking at over 31 hours per week of screen-based media. That's the equivalent of more than 68 full 24-hour days each year—over two months spent consuming content instead of cultivating life.

This isn't harmless background noise—it shapes us. It builds a rhythm, too—but one designed to distract, dull, and disconnect us from God. Left unchecked, this rhythm draws our attention away from what matters most and slowly erodes our readiness.

The foolish virgins weren't necessarily rebellious—they were simply unprepared. They didn't plan for the long term. They didn't consider what would happen if things didn't go as expected. They lived for the moment instead of the mission.

Modern distraction works the same way. It doesn't usually pull us into outright sin—it just pulls us away from spiritual intentionality. We don't become enemies of God; we just become distracted from God. We don't reject Jesus; we just forget to prepare for His return.

The Counter-Rhythm of Faith

Tithing cuts through that noise. It establishes a counter-rhythm—one of surrender, priority, and trust. Most of us receive income on a consistent schedule. Tithing aligns that routine with divine purpose. It turns a paycheck into a spiritual practice. It takes something ordinary and infuses it with eternal significance.

When we tithe regularly, we create a monthly reminder that this life is temporary and eternity is permanent. We establish a rhythm that says, "God first" before we pay any other bill. We build a practice that prioritizes the kingdom of heaven over the kingdoms of this world.

The wise virgins didn't just happen to be ready—they prepared to be ready. They thought ahead. They planned for contingencies. They brought extra oil not because they were worried, but because they were wise.

Tithing is our way of bringing "extra oil" to our spiritual life. It's a discipline that prepares us for the long obedience of following Jesus. It's a practice that builds our spiritual endurance for the marathon of faith.

Will tithing alone make every part of your life spiritually ready? Of course not. But it's a step that invites more of God into your life. It's a discipline that disrupts worldly monotony and creates space for holy awareness. It's a practical act of devotion in a world full of distractions.

The tragic irony of the foolish virgins is that they were so close to the wedding feast. They had been waiting. They had been anticipating. They had their lamps and their oil. But when the moment came, they weren't ready.

How many believers today are spiritually close but practically unprepared? How many are culturally Christian but not deeply committed? How many appear ready on the surface but lack the spiritual reserves to sustain them when testing comes?

The test of readiness through tithing isn't about perfection—it's about preparation. It's about building spiritual habits that will sustain us not just in good times, but in hard times. Not just when faith is easy, but when faith is costly.

Let's not be caught unprepared. Let's be like the wise virgins, whose lamps were full and whose hearts were ready. Let's live lives that declare: "Jesus, I know You are coming—and I'm living like it."

Let's pass the test of readiness—not by accident, but by intention.

-Mark