We all seek the bravos and accolades from others when we complete a task or project.  We acquire this taste for praise as soon as we learn to walk!  Why do you think toddlers run into a room full of family and even guests to announce their accomplishments as they finally do their business in the bathroom instead soiling their underwear!  Imagine the scene.  We all clap and praise them for doing what is now easy for us to do because of all the experience we have had. We have learned so well, in fact, it is now a habit we perform many times a day without thinking about it.  Come to think about it, there are many things we do each day as habit, things we do without thinking about it.

Being a great servant of God, doing what He asks of us in the way He wants it done could be a developed habit.  It all begins with God as the source, the owner of our souls because of our belief and faith in Jesus, His Son.  It begins with managing well what God has given to us.  Managing well is a skill that grows and matures as we say yes to God.  We invest in the guidance of His Holy Spirit in the management of what He has given to us to use to build His Kingdom.  God is in control of all circumstances.  He is the Giver of all we need to do His will.  Therefore, when guided by His Holy Spirit living in us, tapping in to the Power of His Spirit, our lives are exponentially more productive than if He was not. 

God created us to love Him back in worship and praise.  God commanded that we love each other like He loves us.  When we truly know and love God, His love is in us.  His love produces more love for each other.  This unique love produces a servant’s heart within us.  We want to serve God by serving others, helping them to know and believe in Him, too.  Serving becomes a habit as part of our praise back to God!  Our perfect example of loving and serving is Jesus Christ, God’s Son.  He came to earth to teach us how to serve by serving others.  He touched lives in ways no one else had done before.  God gave Jesus all He needed to do what He sent Him to do—to save the world of all sin.  God gave us Jesus.

PAUSE TO PRAY

What will we do with this gift of Jesus given to us by the Master, God?

Will we invest the knowledge of Jesus we have been given so others may know Him, too?

Is it possible to double the number of people who know Him by serving others with the gifts, talents, time and abilities He has so generously given to us?

Or will we hide our gift of Jesus, bury Him away in our souls, and tell no one?

We must prayerfully ask what God wants, listen, then obey what He asks.

In Jesus’ story today, He takes us to a new level of thinking about managing well what God has given to us.  He reminds us of the bottomline outcomes of our management skills in serving Him.  There are only two:

1.  Well done, good and faithful servant which leads to celebration for eternity.
2.  From those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away    followed by darkness forever.

Choose well.  Invest wisely. 

Matthew—God’s Word Fulfilled

Matthew 25:14-30, NLT

Parable of the Three Servants

¹⁴ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. ¹⁵ He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

¹⁶ “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. ¹⁷ The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. ¹⁸ But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. ²⁰ The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

²¹ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

²² “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

²³ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

²⁴ “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. ²⁵ I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

²⁶ “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, ²⁷ why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

²⁸ “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. ²⁹ 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. ³⁰ Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Heavenly Father,

Hallowed is Your Name.  May Your Kingdom come and reign in us and all around us.  Reveal your glory, power, plan and ways to us.  May Your Will be done in every detail of our lives on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day your plan for accomplishing what you want.  Thank you for all you have given us to manage in this life.  Provide all we need to accomplish your will and plan.  And forgive us our sins, missteps and mess-ups as we forgive others who have hurt us or hindered us on this journey.  Lead us not into temptations to quit, hide the Truth, or bury what you have so generously given to us, but deliver us from these evils.  Fight our inner battles with evil and help us to rise up with You victorious.  For you have all power so to you be all glory, honor and praise!

In Jesus Name, Amen