The Talents

The last few weeks has been a very fruitful time for us. One of the very few things that hasn’t been canceled so far this year is the trip to The Cove (Billy Graham’s retreat) that Julie and I took a couple of weeks ago. That trip was a great time of reflection and clarity for us, particularly around some of the ministry items that I have been thinking and praying about for awhile. God woke me up at 4:30 both mornings and put things on my heart that we are excited to act on. 

These things aren’t a dramatic change in my career or anything like that. It’s more of an issue of expanding our ministry of giving and finding a way that we can do something together as a family. I believe that God has laid something on my heart that is a perfect fit for where we are in our lives right now. We look forward to getting together soon and sharing our plans with each of you. 

Giving is a form of worship. Some of us have the spiritual gift of giving while others have other dominant gifts. In spite of what our primary spiritual gift might be, we are all called to give.

This is not because God needs our money to accomplish His purposes, it is because He doesn’t want the money that He has entrusted us with to have us.  

The Christian life calls to think like stewards and not owners of the resources that we are blessed with. The Parable of the Talents helps us understand the difference between the two mindsets.

The Parable of the Talents: A man going on a journey gives portions of his estate to three servants. The men received the talents according to their own ability - one is given five talents. another two talents and another just one. Each will make their own choices regarding what to do with the Master’s money and will do so with the knowledge that they will someday have to give an account when the Master returns.

Upon the Master’s return he asks them each what they did with the money. The first and second workers invested their talents and doubled their money receiving the Master’s praise. The third servant, who was given just 1 talent, safeguarded his money but did nothing to increase it. As a result he was condemned by the Master for his inactivity.

Steward vs. Owner Lesson 1 - A steward lives for the day he will return the Master’s goods to Him with a full account of how they invested them. An owner believes his possessions are his to spend in any way he sees fit.

In truth, all that we have–our material goods, our abilities, and even our very lives–belong to someone else. We are merely holding them for the day of reckoning. Just like in the parable, we too will have to give an account for how we used the “talents” that God has given us. I want to be found faithful, how about you?

Stay hungry,

Big E