Everybody Loves a Good Gift

Everybody Loves a Good Gift

By Amy Gentry

⁴ “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. ⁶ God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 NLT

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us the Parable of the Talents.  Just as the Spirit gives to every believer, the master in that parable entrusted each of his servants with varying talents according to their ability (v.15).  Just like the Lord, the master also expected a return on his investment – he wanted the talents that were entrusted to their care to bring a blessing back to the master.

 “The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

“His master replied, ‘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 man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

“His master replied, ‘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!’

“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’  26 His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant?”

Matthew 25:20-26a NIV emphasis mine

 The master was angry that the servant was too afraid to grow the talent.  In the master’s eyes, he saw the servant as “wicked, lazy.”  

When you received the Holy Spirit a gift or talent was given to you, to be used to glorify God.  You are the caretaker of this talent.  Do you ever feel like you were not in line when God was passing out talent?  Well you were.  Often we don’t know what to do with the talent we are given – so we do nothing.

 
You might need to examine the talent to see how that talent is best used by you, refine the talent by honing the skill, or consider using the talent in many different ways over the progression of your spiritual walk.

“To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”  Matthew 25:29 NLT

CHALLENGE: Pray and ask the Lord, “What talents have you entrusted into my care and am I using them to glorify you?”

• Examine your talent to see how that talent is best used by you.
• Refine the talent by honing the skill.
• Consider using the talent in many different ways over the progression of your spiritual walk.