“…Give us some of your oil…” – Matthew 25:8 (NIV)
The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 is more than a story about readiness – it is a mirror of ethical tension. Ten were invited. Ten were waiting. But only five chose to prepare for every eventuality. The other five did not consider every scenario, assuming access would replace responsibility.
When the moment came, the unprepared turned to the wise and said, “Give us some of your oil.” It was a request born out of panic; a late realisation. The wise refused – not out of selfishness, but because integrity cannot be borrowed, transferred, or negotiated in a moment of crisis. To concede at that point was to also lose their standing.
This tension shows up daily in our spaces. For example:
- In our business, we’re asked to bend financial truths to close a deal or secure funding.
- In academia, we’re pressured to collaborate dishonestly on work that misrepresents effort or originality.
- In corporate life, we’re encouraged to align with corporate ‘political’ alliances that promise advancement but require silent compromise.
In these moments of potential storms, the pressure sounds reasonable: “Just this once.” “Help me out.” But like the five wise virgins, integrity demands being prepared to say “no,” since it may seem that we are all incompetent.
God’s promises stand in contrast to the world’s urgency. Scripture assures us: “The integrity of the upright guides them…” (Proverbs 11:3, NIV) and “…Those who honour Me, I will honour…” (1st Samuel 2:30, NIV). God’s system does not reward shortcuts or compromise – it rewards preparation and faithfulness.
I remember being a young leader in my twenties, stepping into management with both passion and fear. Delegation was difficult, trust felt fragile, and support was inconsistent. There were moments when I was offered opportunities to compromise – to secure approval, to ease tension, to belong. But I chose to stand. Praise God!
Years later, I see the evidence of God’s faithfulness. Doors that closed protected me. Delays refined me. And opportunities that came were aligned, not forced. Like the oil in the lamp, what I preserved in private sustained me in public.
Ethical dilemmas will come. Pressure will rise. But preparation and faith determine your response.
Question: Will you guard your oil? Will you prepare well and stand your ground?
Friends, God’s outcome is always sure; trust Him.
Read: Daniel 6:3-5; Romans 16:20
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 69:1-12; John 21; 2 Samuel 2:8-32; 2 Samuel 3:1-21