A talent isn't something till you give it away...

Prior to my actual entry this week I just want to thank Ross and Tyler for your prayer this past week at circles. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful…

Before I go any further I need to preface this entry by saying I had no intention of writing on this topic. I simply planned on sharing with you some of the amazing ways that the Lord has answered prayer in my life and also how he has used other people to speak truth into my life. But as I began to write I realized that this was a great opportunity to practice the prayer training Jonny had just given us. So I stopped, laid face down on my bed and listened. What follows is the result of that listening. I have no idea the potential purpose of the post or even if it really truly was the Lord putting this on my heart. But either way I hope it speaks to you…

The Parable of the Talents

You know the story: A man calls his servants to him and gives them varying sums of gold to watch while he is away on a journey. When he returns he finds that two of the men have doubled his money and one man just guarded the money in fear and returned exactly what he was given. The master praises two of them and lauds the third for being “wicked and lazy”. (In case you haven’t heard it, the whole parable is found in Matthew 25:14-30) The story ends with the lazy servant being thrown outside into the darkness.

Pretty intense. I mean the guy didn’t lose his money or even worse steal it. He just simply guarded it and returned it to his master and he is cursed and removed. So what does this mean? What is Jesus trying to tell us? Ill bet you know or have heard someone site this passage as an example of how we are to be good stewards of our money. Were to invest and build on what God has given us. I totally agree….

BUT

I think there is a problem with that explanation. It doesn’t explain how we are to be good stewards, how we are to build on what God has given us. Often times this leaves us with nothing but the world to guide us on how to take our money and “make the most of it”. Don’t get me wrong I totally believe the Lord wants us to make the most of what he is giving us, but I don’t believe that happens by investing wisely in stock market, or get a savings account with an awesome interests rate. In fact the bible seems to make it very clear how we can get the greatest return on our money. Lets look:

Luke 12:33” 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.”

1 Timothy 6:17-19 “17As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

Luke 6:38 “38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 “6The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. 7Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency[b] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9As it is written,

"He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;

his righteousness endures forever."

10He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

Isaiah 58:6-11 6"Is not this the fast that I choose:
 to loose the bonds of wickedness,
 to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed[a] go free,
 and to break every yoke?
7Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
 and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
 and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
 and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
 the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
 you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.'
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
 the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry
 and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
 and your gloom be as the noonday.
11And the LORD will guide you continually
 and satisfy your desire in scorched places
 and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
 like a spring of water,
 whose waters do not fail.

It would seem that God is clear on this point. Take your talents and give them away. Then you will receive the greatest return, one that will never fade.

I know some of you are still in college and have yet to really deal with the pressures of financial struggles and my prayer for you is that you will let these verses sink into your soul as you get older in life. Money is a gift, and we are to be stewards of it. But please don’t let anyone lead you to believe that that means anything other than what God’s word says.

Begin the patterns now early in life that will guard against money ever being an idol in your life. Release the lie that tells us we are to be self sufficient and lean into the Lord for his mighty provision. It is not until you step out beyond self -sufficiency that you will see the mighty power of God’s faithfulness and provision.

See you around Circles.

Taylor