This week in my New Testament class at BYU we studied and discussed Matthew chapter 25 which gives a few more parables that Christ told as he was on the Earth. First He gives the parable of the 10 virgins. In this story there are 5 "foolish virgins" and 5 "wise virgins". Upon preparing to meet the bridegroom for the wedding, the 5 wise virgins "took oil in their vessels with their lamps." (v. 4) and the other 5 did not. They did not anticipate the long wait that it took for the bridegroom to arrive, therefore the lamps of the 5 foolish virgins ran out of light because they did not bring extra oil to fuel the light. In verses 8 and 9 it says, "And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you..." 

This parable can be related to our day; many things that are acquired through preparation ahead of time can not simply be given to others. The story of the 10 virgins holds a lot of symbolic meaning. The lamps may represent a member of the church simply going through the motions without any real thought or intent while doing so, while the oil may represent true and deep and lasting conversion that another member might experience. This lasting conversion may be the means to get through a difficult experience without loosing hope and faith in the process. Someone that has not gone to such great lengths to keep close to Christ may have a lamp with no use because there is no oil to fuel the burning light. 

This was a great parable to study for me personally because I am a big procrastinator by nature. I always wait until the last minute to do something important. However our Heavenly Father does not want us to procrastinate in temporal or spiritual matters. He wants us to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing we are prepared. Prepared for that big exam next week, prepared for a happy eternal marriage, prepared to give a priesthood blessing, prepared to receive spiritual promptings for someone in need, prepared to meet Him again.