Do you know God in His wisdom has given each one of us special gifts, skills and abilities and that He expects us to be faithful in using what we have been given? Each one of us is responsible for what we have been given.
Each one of us is unique and so too are our gifts, skills and abilities. Not only has God endowed us with different talents, but he has also endowed us different amounts of talents. While God is away, he expects us to be good stewards of those resources. He expects us to use them to expand his kingdom. We can’t take any credit for them. They are God’s gifts to us to use for His glory. We are stewards of those gifts, so we are accountable to Him for the way in which we use them. The stewardship of these resources is an enormous responsibility. So, instead of “hiding” our gifts and talents, we must use them and invest them in kingdom service.
The choice is up to us for what we do with them. Each one of us will one day stand personally before God to give an account of the gifts He has given us. He holds us responsible for the amount of talents He has given us, not the amount of talents He has given someone else. Regardless of what talents He has given us, or how much of them we have, God expects us to use them. He wants us to be good and faithful stewards. So, the questions to you are:
? What are your talents?
? What skills and abilities has God given you?
? Are you using them for the Lord?
? Are you being a faithful steward of the resources He has entrusted to you?
? Are you using your talents to expand Christ’s kingdom while He is away?
? How are you doing it?
The Bible tells a story of three servants who were given talents to invest on behalf of their master. The parable began with Jesus painting a picture of a wealthy man going on a long journey. Before the wealthy master departed for his journey, he entrusted his property and resources to three of his servants. He delegated 5 talents to the first servant, 2 to the second, and 1 to the third. He did not tell them where he was going or when he would return, but he implied that he would return one day. There was an implied expectation that the servants would use those resources to expand the master’s property. Although the resources were distributed according to the individual servant’s ability, they were each responsible for what they were given. The servants had decisions to make. The first two invested well. They made effective use of their entrusted amounts. They made a capital return that doubled the original investment: 5 talents turned into 10 talents and 2 talents turned into 4 talents. Although the actual amounts were different, the master delivered the same response to the first two servants, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” The identical statement of praise to both servants indicated that the point of the parable was not the total amount earned but on faithful responsibility to live up to one’s potential and giftedness. The reward of earnings bestowed may differ, but both servants received more joy in the master’s presence and more responsibility in his kingdom (Matthew 25:21). In contrast to the first two servants, the third came to the master with a different story: he hid his one talent in the ground and gave it back to the master without any return. The master responded with the dreadful words, “You wicked and lazy servant!” …..read the rest of the story in Matthew 25:25.
This is exactly what will happen with us! Someday Jesus is going to return to the earth for a great day of reckoning. When we look into Jesus’ eyes, what will we have to say for ourselves? Will you say, “Oh, I had a talent, but I never really used it?” Will you say, “I guess I used my talents for my own gain instead of yours?” Will you say, “Well, I knew I have a talent but I was too afraid to use it or the right opportunity never came along?” Or will you be able to say, “Lord, thank you for the talents you gave me! It was a pleasure to serve you! Here is what I did with them!”
So, as we sojourn through life, let us remember these seven principles:
1. What we have is not ours.
2. We are given what we can handle.
3. We must invest what we have been given.
4. What we do with what we have reveals our view of God.
5. What we have we must use or what we have we will lose.
6. Who you know will lead to either abundance or agony in the next life.
7. A day of accountability is coming.
So let us step out in faith; and use the talents God has given us. Even if you stumble on your journey, keep striving. Envision the day when you will feel His hand on your shoulder and hear the words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’
Remember, everything you have, including your talents, are gifts from God. Do not use them for yourself. The person born with a talent he/she is meant to use will find his/her greatest happiness in using it.
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only and has published Positive Living Volume 2. Contact information: 476-3517 or email: marilynb@anguillanet.com. www.facebook.com/axawellnesscentre
