October 2009

09.24.2009

In Mathew’s Gospel there is a parable Jesus told about a master giving his servants some talents “according to their ability.” To one he gave five, the next one he gave two, and to the third one he gave one. Each servant was to invest the master’s talents or money and try to make a profitable return. The first two doubled their investment, while the third played it safe and buried his in a mason jar in the back yard, thus not making a profit for the master.

The first two were rewarded with a promotion, each being put in charge of many things and future retirement benefits – “enter into my joy” is what the master tells them. However, the third servant was called evil and lazy by the master, and the master took his one talent away and cast the servant away.

Wow! That seems pretty harsh, but let’s look and see what sort of teaching nugget we can pull from this parable. The phrase “according to their ability” is the key to Jesus’ teaching.

Your responsibility is tied to your ability. God’s kingdom purposes do not operate according to what the world would say is “fair.” Instead, God operates according to what is best according to Him.

The Master clearly does not want equal return for His possessions but equal effort, and there is a difference. One of the problems that I’ve seen in churches is that we focus on the return and not the effort. This is the way a secular business operates; it’s not how the church should operate.

Let me repeat that: God is not looking for equal return, but equal effort. In the same way, Christians with different capabilities and opportunities may produce differing results while working with equal faithfulness and devotion. The Lord therefore assures His servants that each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Let’s apply this to Sunday School. We have many adult classes at ARBC. I believe all of the teachers are faithful and diligent in teaching their classes, yet one class may grow while another does not. Often our first assumption is to assume one teacher is doing something wrong and the other is doing something right. But let me caution you that that is the way the secular world thinks. Let’s face it—there is a secular influence within our churches, and it is evident in that way of thinking. In God’s plan, He is looking for faithfulness, not numbers, and God will add increase in His timing and not ours. I think most Christians struggle with that because we tend to be results oriented.

So remember, although the third slave had been given fewer resources than the other two slaves, he had the same obligation to use what he had to his maximum ability, and the same thing applies to you. Your potential is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to Him. Zig Ziglar has said, “You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.” Are you investing what you’ve been given, regardless of how much it is? Or, have you buried your blessing and kept it hidden from others?

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya!
Until next month, Danny Joe

Posted by arbc at 05:15 PM