The At Leaster

Some people have been conditioned to think they can never please others. This can lead to an “at-leaster” mindset; someone that tries just enough to get by, because they doubt success is possible.

Maybe as a child no matter how hard you tried you never seemed to please your parents or someone in authority. This can lead many of us to eventually quit trying. Instead of striving for excellence, it's easy to begin just trying hard enough to survive.

In Jesus’ Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:24, the lazy servant was an “at-leaster.” He rationalized, “Master, he said, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground.”

The other two servants gave 100% effort, and doubled the master’s money, while the “at-leaster” gave minimal effort, because he feared his efforts wouldn’t measure up anyway.

He believed he wouldn't measure up to the high standards of the master, so he didn't even try. Yet the other two surely knew the master to have high standards, but they decided that with hard work they could please the master, and did.

How much effort do you give to your work? 100%, or just enough to get by?