How can we avoid "digging in the ground" with our God-given talents today? Recognizing Our Talents • Every believer has a trust from God—spiritual gifts, skills, resources, opportunities (1 Peter 4:10). • Talents may look ordinary: a listening ear, business savvy, musical ability, hospitality, leadership, craftsmanship. • Ask: “Where do I consistently see fruit and joy in serving?” That’s often where the Master has invested in you. The Warning in Matthew 25:18 “ ‘But the servant who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.’ ” (Matthew 25:18) • The servant’s shovel signaled fear, laziness, and disregard for the master’s intent. • The talent remained intact, but it produced nothing—no glory for the master, no good for others, no growth for the servant. Heart Attitudes That Bury Talents • Fear of failure or criticism (Matthew 25:24–25). • Comparing our portion with others and feeling it’s too small to matter (1 Corinthians 12:15–20). • Self-centered busyness—other pursuits crowd out stewardship (Luke 8:14). • Forgetting that “each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). Practical Ways to Keep the Shovel Out of Our Hands • Start small but start now—invest the “one talent” in front of you. • Join a ministry team, community outreach, or local need that matches your gifting. • Schedule regular time for talent-building: reading, training, practice, mentorship. • Pair gifts with love: serve a real person, not an abstract goal (Galatians 5:13). • Invite accountability: a friend or leader who will ask, “How are you using what God gave you?” • Remember eternal stakes—works done “in the Lord” are never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). Scriptures That Fan the Flame • 2 Timothy 1:6—“Fan into flame the gift of God…” • Ephesians 2:10—created for good works prepared in advance. • James 4:17—knowing the good we ought to do and not doing it is sin. • Proverbs 3:27—do not withhold good when it is in your power to act. • Colossians 3:23—whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. Living as Faithful Stewards • God entrusts; we engage; He produces increase (1 Corinthians 3:6–7). • Faithful stewardship brings joy now and “well done, good and faithful servant” later (Matthew 25:21). • By refusing to bury what He places in our hands, we honor the Giver, bless others, and grow into the likeness of Christ. |
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