Using Our Talents

Matthew 25:21
Well done, good and faithful servant!

Today's study contains two important points:

* God's call for faithfulness in the use of our talents to Him.
* A warning for those who do not use their talents.

God challenges us to take small steps to venture out with our talents and to be faithful to our calling. We have to cultivate our talents...they won't just come out full-grown. It may take some time or lots of practice until we're really successful at our talent.

As with any talent, we must be willing to be used. Yes, there is a risk, but it's worth the insecurity to find out how far God can take us if we are willing. In today's parable we see that the first two servants were willing to take that risk. Their stewardship gave them a blessing of 100-percent return for their efforts, plus their master said, "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!"

If you want to be successful in God's eyes, you must first be faithful with a few things; then God will cheerfully put you in charge of many things. Is there a talent that people keep telling you you are good at, but you just shrug it off as not being good enough? No one could be blessed by my talent, you think. This passage tells you to take the risk. Don't limit God--He is not to be put into a box. How many of you have a poem to be written, a song to be sung, a book to be authored? Listen to God today as He calls you to a life of adventure. Life is not borning when you have a purpose.

A warning to those who don't use their talents. Even though today's passage talks about faithfulness to use our talents for God, we can't leave this Scripture without looking briefly at God's warning in verses 24-30. This therd servant was afraid. He wasn't willing to take a risk with his one talent. He went and buried it in the ground. How many of us are fearful and bury our talents? The warning of these few verses is that God hold us responsible for our lives and what we do with them.

We want to stand before God one day and hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

Father God, at times I don't feel I have any talents, but I know You have given each of Your children special gifts. Today, I'm asking for directions in using my talents for Your glory. Please reveal to me what my special gifts are that You want me to develop and for courage to share them with others. Thank You for listening to my prayer. Amen.

Friends of mine...would you like to share with me what your perception of my special gifts or talents would be.

And to all my friends out there that are insecure about their talents and are afraid to go forward...be a risk taker. Let's all be risk takers together! My Mom and I were just talking about how one day God will ask us what we have done with the blessings He has given us...this goes hand in hand. :-)