Character and Discipline · Christian Life
No one will do it for us
4 min read, approximately
Matthew 25:24-28
“And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter; and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own. But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents.”
“Master, but he only had one talent; if only he had more, he could…”, “Master, but he only had one talent, and… you took it away from him? How unfair!”, “Master, but he only had one talent; if only the others had helped him…’
Excuses and more excuses!
If we side with this negligent servant, let us walk through the Word for a while and see why the Lord called him wicked and negligent:
\1. We all have gifts
Abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality, experiences: what will we do with them?
“according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;” (1 Peter 4:10)
\2. We must use them, not bury them
Will we spend our time looking at what others have, or will we use what God gave us?
“And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of our faith; or ministry, [let us give ourselves] to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching; or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, [let him do it] with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:6-8)
\3. We are no less than anyone else; we are children of the King
Do we still think we are insignificant or have little? Even after losing everything, Job still maintained before his friends:
“But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?” (Job 12:3)
\4. Saying “I don’t know how to do it” is no excuse
If we are children of the King, there is no valid excuse for failing to cry out to him!
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and will show thee great things, and difficult, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3)
\5. We do not have little; we have more than enough
Let us remember the 5 loaves and 2 fish…
“Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would. And when they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost.” (John 6:11-12)
God created us with a purpose and equipped us with abilities, skills, gifts, and talents so that we can fulfill any aspiration. Everything God has placed within us is good and intended to build us up. Using it is good, but as the Word says,
“…for anyone who knows the good they should do and does not do it, it is sin.” (James 4:17)
What do we think now: a wicked and negligent servant?
Let us not look so far away: would we classify ourselves as wicked and negligent servants?
What will we do today?
No one will do for us what we must do ourselves.
_**Remember to stop by the Songbook
May God continue to bless you, and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!