WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH OUR BLESSINGS?

Each of us are blessed with time, talents and opportunities. We all may not have them in equal measure, but surely, each of us have, many abilities and talents. These blessings are from God, given to us, out of His grace and mercy.  The question we ought to ask ourselves, as often as possible is, “WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH OUR BLESSINGS?”

Let us look at the Parable of Talents, as found in Matthew 25:14-30, to see what we can learn about, what we should be doing, with the blessing, that God has given us. I could identify five things. Let us see them.

1- LORD IS THE GIVER OF ALL GIFTS
– ’14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.” – Matthew 25:14
The LORD is the Giver of all gifts. Therefore there is nothing to boast about, nor feel proud because of it. It is a sin to do so.

2- EACH ONE RECEIVED ACCORDING TO OUR OWN ABILITY
– “15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.” – Matthew 25:15
Each of us get according to our ability – our ability, as in the sense of our capacity to handle things. When we demonstrate faithfulness, and improve what is entrusted to our care, God will add more, to what is already given to us. This is the way God works with us.

3- THE EXPECTATION OF THE LORD
– “20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’” – Matthew 25:20-21
The LORD expects us, to put to good use, what is entrusted to our care. In the process, even if we incur loss, I think, God wouldn’t mind it, if we were sincere and faithful in our efforts.

4- OUR RESPONSIBILITY
– “26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.” – Matthew 25:26-27
We are not to be lazy and self-conceited in our hearts and minds. We should not be unprofitable servants. Instead, we are called to increase or improve the talent that is entrusted to our care. The key is our sincerity and faithfulness in our efforts, to improve or increase what is given to us.

5- WE WILL BE CALLED ONE DAY TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF ALL WHAT WAS ENTRUSTED TO OUR CARE
– “19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.” – Matthew 25:19
Each of us, just as we were given talents – each according to our ability – will one day be called by our MASTER, to give an account, of all what was entrusted to our care. So let us be better prepared…and prepared well.
“We can say many good things about the work of the first two servants: · They did their work promptly. · They did their work with perseverance. · They did their work with success. · They were ready to give an account to their master…We can say of the work of the third servant: · He didn’t think. · He didn’t work. · He didn’t even try. · He made excuses.” – David Guzik

May the LORD bless us, and help us, as we use our talents for the glory of God, who as we know, gave it to us; so that, we use it for the blessing of His people, which is the very purpose of God, in blessing us with the talents, that we are entrusted with. Let this focus never be missed, in all what we do with the talents, we are blessed with. Even so, the LORD help us.