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There’s an interesting parable that Jesus tells in Matthew 25 that has always challenged me greatly. Jesus shares a story about 3 servants, who are each given varying amounts of money by their master to look after while he goes away. Two of the servants invest his money wisely while he is gone, and when he returns, they have more than what they were initially given to return to him. He praises them and celebrates with them, and then entrusts them with more to look after. But one of the servants doesn’t handle his masters money wisely – in fear, he buries the money, and when the master returns, he only has what he was initially entrusted with to return to his master. The thing is, this isn’t just an interesting story – as we read in the end, it has eternal significance.
One thing I’ve always desired
as I read this story, is I want to make sure I’m not like that servant who out
of fear, buries what he’s been given.
I’ve noticed that throughout my life I have definitely leaned more
towards being the type of person who buries or hides out of fear, those things
(whether they are talents, resources or opportunities) that I’ve been entrusted
with. I’m not your average risk-taker. I’m not the type of person to step out and do
crazy things. I don’t like rocking the
boat, drawing attention to myself or having too many responsibilities. This puts me in a rather awkward position
though, because according to this parable, I have been entrusted with things,
things that I’m supposed to invest, develop and grow. Pleasing my master means
taking risks, developing and investing what I’ve been entrusted with, and
carrying more responsibilities as I grow.
So these are the
challenges I’ve faced throughout my life, and I want to challenge you too –
because who wants to live a life that is easy and safe and get to the end and
realise that all you’ve done is burying all you’ve been entrusted with in a
safe hole in the ground. It’s time to
take risks, it’s time to think about expansion, it’s time to grow, it’s time to
invest in others.
“Everybody wishes they
had a different talent, but nobody (for the most part) wants to focus on
stewarding the talent they’ve got” – Shelley Giglio
Is fear holding me back
from taking risks? Are their
opportunities that I am avoiding because of fear? Don’t let fear make you bury what you’ve been
entrusted with!
The great thing is that
each of the servants were given talents according to their respective
abilities. God knows you and what you
can handle. The challenge is to start
working with what you have.
We are not all created
with equal skills, abilities and opportunities, but are you developing and
growing the things you are gifted with or good at?
I want to use wisely
what I’ve been entrusted with, I want to invest and see fruit develop from what
I’ve been given. I want to be a
multiplier with my resources, gifts and talents. I don’t want to be known as a burier. When my Master returns, I want there to be a
celebration.
We have only one life
here on earth - and hopefully you want to hear the same words I do when you
meet Jesus face to face... “Well done good and faithful servant”. I want to do well in
this life. I want to be a good steward
of all he has given me.
- Article featured in The Northern Advocate, Perceptions of Faith section, 20 October 2018.
- Article featured in The Northern Advocate, Perceptions of Faith section, 20 October 2018.
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