But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
Matthew 25:10 NIV
One of the most piercing illustrations about being spiritually ready is found in the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. At first glance, all ten virgins appear the same—they all have lamps, they are all waiting for the bridegroom, and they are all called “virgins”, a term that suggests moral uprightness or spiritual purity.
But the story takes a sharp turn. When the bridegroom delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. At midnight, a cry rang out announcing his arrival, and that’s when the difference between the wise and the foolish became painfully clear. The foolish virgins had no oil. In their panic, they begged the others for help. But the wise ones, unable to share what was personal and essential, advised them to go and buy oil for themselves.
And while they were away trying to make last-minute preparations, the bridegroom arrived. The door was shut.
What grips my heart most about this passage is that the foolish virgins did not go out to sin. They hadn’t abandoned their watch to party or engage in worldly indulgences. They had not defiled their purity. No, they simply went to buy oil. They had good intentions. And yet, they missed the bridegroom.
Why? Because they were not ready.
They waited—but they failed to prepare. It’s easy to point fingers at obvious sin, to draw clear lines and declare who is in and who is out. But what if the danger lies not in blatant sin but in subtle unpreparedness? What if the issue is not rebellion but complacency?
This is where many of us must pause and reflect. “What if at the end of the day, you can’t point to any specific sin—but you’re still not ready?” That question stings because it confronts the comfortable rhythm of religious activity without spiritual alertness.
Matthew 7:22–23 offers another weighty warning: “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name…?’” The people Jesus refers to had a list of accomplishments. Yet, Jesus doesn’t deny their deeds. He simply replies, “I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers.”
This reveals a powerful truth: the issue is not merely what we’ve done but who we are before God. God does not measure readiness by ministry milestones or outward performance. But by the posture of our hearts—by our intimacy with Christ and our consistent alignment with His will.
We must not settle for the appearance of faithfulness while lacking the substance of true readiness. God is not looking for spectators. He is coming for those who keep their lamps trimmed and burning, whose hearts stay tuned to His return.
Some words in Scripture strike us with a sobering directness. Lying, cheating—indeed, all forms of sin—are matters that only play out here on earth. It is here that one can hide behind deception, pretend innocence, or feign ignorance. But on the day of judgment, the pretence ends. Every secret will be exposed. There will be no hiding.
The apostle Paul echoes this in Romans 2:16, when he says that God will judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ. So, dear believer, we must be careful. We must be watchful. Not just in the way we avoid sin, but in the way we prepare our hearts.
So today, let us not just wait for the Lord. Let us be ready for Him.
May our lives be marked not only by watchfulness but by a deep and abiding preparedness—because the door will not remain open forever.