Use It... or Lose It


"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant!  So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?  Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.  For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.  Whoever does not have, even what he does have will be taken from him.'"  Matthew 25:26-29
 
As the snow began to fall and accumulate on the driveway, I knew it wouldn't be long before I would need to find all the essentials for clearing the snow off the driveway.  This list, of course, included my son much to his chagrin.  In all fairness, he is a good sport about it.  After the snow stopped falling, we grabbed our coats, boots, gloves, and shovels and headed out to make short work of the powdery intruder.  We were well into our driveway when I told him to go ahead and finish ours while I started on our elderly neighbors' driveway.  He gave me the nod of understanding, because it's very important to an 8th grade boy to use as few words as humanly possible.  After we finished, I was lavish in my praise for his genuinely hard work.  I told him something like, "You will never regret doing the right thing."
 
So, what does this story have to do with our scripture for today?  Everything!  You see our "talents" that day were time, opportunity, boots, gloves, coats, hats, shovels and strong backs.  Where did all of that come from?  God.  Why?  To use for his glory.  God doesn't ask anything of us that he hasn't already provided the resources to do or will soon supply as we step out in obedience.  I don't about you, but I have no desire to be called out as a "wicked, lazy servant."
 
Keep your eyes open today.  God has something in mind for your "talents."  Use it so you won't lose it.  Faithfulness results in the opportunity to be entrusted with more, with which, to be faithful.  Pretty cool, huh?  Remember, you will never regret doing the right thing.
 
Grace and Peace,
 
Tom

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