Shown:
Language to scare into action, with the banquet as a reward for hard work.
Words to exclude a part of the audience.
- Wise – Foolish
- Prepared – Unprepared
- With oil – Without oil
- Known – Unknown
- Socially Included – Socially Excluded
Presents the wise bridesmaids as having prepared beforehand so therefore deserving reward.
Paints the foolish actions so harshly that the bridegroom no longer recognises them.
Hidden:
Wise bridesmaids not sharing oil or giving sound advice.
Wise bridesmaids seemed happy to slumber without worry about the others lamps
Even wise bridesmaids fell asleep, did not think to warn others of their low oil.
Foolish bridesmaids convinced to go and buy when they may have had enough.
Reading:
‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five were only just coping with life, and five were more on top of things. The struggling ones were happy to remember their lamps as they ran out the door; but the others thought ahead and took flasks of oil in their bags with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, and the bridesmaids were either with oil and happy to doze, or without oil and oblivious, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. Seeing the others refilling their lamps, the five without oil said “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But they replied, “No! that might endanger all our thoughtful planning, and we can’t risk missing the banquet for you five, there probably isn’t enough to go around anyway; you should do what we did and buy some for yourselves.” And while they were out of the way buying their oil, the bridegroom came, and the ones with oil smiled to themselves and went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you people who are not able to think ahead.” Keep working therefore, for you know neither the price of your reward nor the help you will get on the day.
Andy Robertson
