Change The World (Part 2): Be Able

Matthew 25:14-30
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

I loved playing high school football. The problem is that once I was on the varsity squad, there wasn’t much opportunity for me to play. Sure I saw plenty of action during practice, but I wanted in the game. The truth was, there were players in front of me that were deemed more talented and skilled than I was. Only 11 guys could be on the field at a time, so I spent much of my senior year playing special teams and cheering from the sidelines.

The word “talent” that we use today comes from this parable in Matthew 25. In Biblical times it was a unit of weight used to value gold and silver. Since the point of this parable is to illustrate that God’s people are to make good use of the stewardship that He has entrusted them, the word has come to define a person’s abilities. When it comes to life, God doesn’t base our participation on the type or level of talent we have. God hasn’t called any of us to sit the bench or cheer from the sidelines. We all are in the “game”. God has called each of us to get in and give it all we’ve got. There is a whole world in need of spiritual, physical and emotional healing that can only be found in Jesus Christ. His people are the means by which He chooses to accomplish this.

Each of us are given gifts and talents by God to be used for His service and His glory. There are spiritual gifts listed in the Bible and we are told that every Christian has at least one. However there are also all sorts of talents or abilities that God has given individuals to be used for His purposes as well. Some people are builders. Some are artists. Some are care takers. Some are mathematicians. The list goes on. Whether you know it or not, God has made you exactly the way you are and has given you the talents to accomplish His work. The key is to use whatever He has given you. It isn’t about the person with the most talent, but rather what each person does with it that God cares about. God tells us to love others by our actions. The Bible always exhorts us to go above and beyond. If all you feel like you have to offer another person is a listening ear, then be the best listener you can be.
So many people sit the bench while waiting for their grand purpose or they waste their lives trying to discover their unknown gifts and talents. The truth is that God says to simply love Him and love others. Not haphazardly. Jesus tells us to love passionately. When we do this, our gifts and talents will naturally come about. Who wants to be found standing with their stewardship buried when the Lord returns. We can’t use the excuse, “I’m not good enough.” Jesus says, “You ARE good enough because I have declared it. Go! Make a difference for my Name’s sake!”

So the question is not, “Are you equipped for the Lord’s service?” The question is, “Are you serving?” “Are you loving?” “Are you seeing others through the eyes of Jesus?” “How are you using what God has already given you for His kingdom?” “Are you using it or has it been buried?”

You are equipped. God has made you able!