In Luke 19: 12-27, Jesus tells a parable about a ruler who left to go conquer another kingdom. He leaves ten servants with instructions and money. Sort of like we do with our teenagers when we go out with our spouses, we leave instructions and money.
He told them, "Use this money to buy and sell until I return."
When the ruler came home, he had them give an account of what they had been doing with the money. Again, like our teenagers.
The first guy, who had been given 10 talents, had made 10 times the amount he was given and was rewarded.
The second guy, who had been given 5 talents, made 5 times the amount he was given and was rewarded, but the third guy, who had been given one talent, had hid his money. He had preserved it, neither increasing it nor losing it.
What strikes me is this: The third fellow didn't follow the instructions.
By preserving the money, he didn't do what he was told to do by his master which was to "use it to buy and sell". By doing nothing, he had been disobedient. He missed the point of the money and lost his reward.
We are given gifts and talents by God to use. We are to invest our lives in God's Kingdom. God's Kingdom being people.
We are not to horde our talents or savor our gifts or hide them. We are instructed to use them. When we do, He promises that those who refresh others will they themselves be refreshed (Proverbs 11: 25 NLT). Because as we know, you can never out give God.
Something else that strikes me is the reason given by the man for not using the money - It was fear.
Luke 19: 21a Because I was afraid of you. After all, you're a tough man...
We should not allow fear of others or fear of failing keep us from investing in God's Kingdom.
He has given us our gifts, talents, and resources to use for His glory, our good, and the good of others.
So, don't hide them; use them as the Lord has instructed us to do. (1 Corinthians 12: 7 NLT)
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
Challenge:
Find a way to use your gifts to help one person today.
It will put a smile on their face and yours.
Finding God's Beautiful Pieces of Grace,
bym
bonitaymccoy.com
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