Those who neglect known duty by not answering to God’s claims upon them in this life, and who soothe their consciences by calculating on making their bequests at death, will receive no words of commendation from the Master, nor will they receive a reward. They practiced no self-denial, but selfishly retained their means as long as they could, yielding it up only when death claimed them. That which many propose to defer until they are about to die, if they were Christians indeed they would do while they have a strong hold on life. They would devote themselves and their property to God, and, while acting as His stewards, they would have the satisfaction of doing their duty. By becoming their own executors, they could meet the claims of God themselves, instead of shifting the responsibility upon others. We should regard ourselves as stewards of the Lord’s property and God as the supreme proprietor, to whom we are to render His own when He shall require it. When He shall come to receive His own with usury, the covetous will see that instead of multiplying the talents entrusted to them, they have brought upon themselves the doom pronounced upon the unprofitable servant. {4T 480.2}

De, der forsømmer en bevidst pligt ved ikke at efterkomme Guds krav til dem her i livet og som beroliger deres samvittighed med, at de ved et testamente agter at uddele deres midler efter døden. vil ikke få noget bifaldende ord af deres mester, ej heller vil de få nogen belønning. De øvede ingen selvfornægtelse, men holdt egenkærligt fast ved deres midler, så længe de kunne og gav først slip derpå, da døden kaldte dem bort. Hvad mange har i sinde at udsætte, indtil de er døden nær, ville de, hvis de i sandhed var kristne, gøre, medens de endnu er i live. De ville hellige sig selv og deres ejendom til Gud og de ville eje tilfredsstillelsen ved at have gjort deres pligt. Ved selv at opfylde deres testamente kunne de personlig efterkomme Guds krav i stedet for at overføre ansvaret til andre. Vi bør anse os som husholdere over Herrens ejendom og betragte Gud som den øverste ejermand, (481) hvem vi skal overlade det ham tilhørende, når som helst han måtte kræve det. Når han kommer for at modtage sit med renter, vil de gerrige få at se, at i stedet for at mangfoldiggøre de talenter, der var dem betroet, har de pådraget sig den dom, der udtales over den unyttige tjener.