In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-28), a master gives his servants different amounts of money to invest, according to their ability. When he returns, he finds one man has buried his money and two have invested it wisely.
This parable encourages us to make wise and effective use of the gifts and resources God gives each of us.
As a writer I need to:
1. Pray about my gift.
2. Use it: write!
3. Develop it: edit, rewrite, learn new skills, get constructive criticism.
4. Invest it: explore new ways to use it for the Lord.
The same is true for any ability or skill we have.
In Matthew 25, the man who hid his money in the ground didn’t understand the purpose, character and love of the master.
If you aren’t praying about your gifts, using, developing, and investing them, don’t feel guilty. Guilt isn’t a good motivator. Instead, ask for a deeper understanding of the purpose, character and love of your Master and Gift-giver.
Scripture passages that apply to our gifts:
Romans 12:6-8: We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Colossians 3:17: whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:23: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Jeremiah 29:11 is a message of hope in the midst of difficulty, not a promise to free us from all difficulty...
I stenciled it on the wall of my husband's office when he was working in the career planning and placement department at Columbia International University.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
We thought it was fitting for Bible college and seminary graduates looking for jobs, and it was. But not in the way many people understand.
It's one of those phrases we Christians use like pieces parts without exploring the true meaning.
Jeremiah 29 is a message to the Jewish exiles in Babylon telling them to make the best of their captivity because God has a plan in allowing it. That captivity lasted 70 years, and many never lived to see it end.
God's plans for us are always good, but they are not necessarily easy, nor are they the plans we'd choose in our limited human thinking.
Are your circumstances less than desirable? Make the best of them. Whether you see the results in your lifetime or not, God has a good plan for your life (Romans 8:28). You can write that on the wall of your heart!
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I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first 4 devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon.
I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.
Bible Love Notes
We human beings love excuses.
We so easily see ourselves as victims
Licking our wounds...
Obsessing about the impossibility of our obstacles...
Blaming our irresponsibility
on our parents, teachers, and leaders...
Despising our hardships and handicaps.
When we do this, we choose to be like Cain
Decrying injustice...
Feeling no sorrow for those we’ve hurt...
Sorry only for ourselves...
Demanding things we don’t deserve...
Or we can reject Cain's example...
And look to another Bible example...
We can seek to be Overcoming Josephs...
holding on, standing firm...
bearing the burden of great dreams...
waiting and believing.
God’s Kingdom is found beyond excuses...
So let's stop making them.
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power, [so] do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Endure hardship as discipline.” 1 Corinthians 4:20; Romans 12:3, 12, 21; Hebrews 12:7
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And you can also sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes 1-minute devotions HERE.
“In school we learn the lesson and then take the test. But in life, God often gives the test and then we learn the lesson.” Diana Knudson
Diana was my supervisor for my seminary internship in mentoring. The quote above was her answer when I asked her what I should do if a mentoree ignored biblical advice.
We learn in several ways--through instruction and advice, but also from bad choices. As humorist Will Rogers said, “Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of experience comes from bad judgment.”
But the worst choice we can make is not learning from our mistakes.
So how can we learn from bad choices?
1. Confess them: admit we were wrong (1 John 1:9).
See 6 Characteristics of Sincere Repentance.
2. Accept blame: don’t blame circumstances or other people (1 John 1:8). The blame-game is such a deadly trap.
See The Fourth Oldest Sin in the Book.
3. Repent: “turn away” from our sin and don't repeat it (Romans 6:12-14).
See Forgive Me or Else!
Bible Love Notes
A friend suddenly stops communicating. You ask if you've offended her, and she refuses to talk about it. A relative is distant and angry but refuses your repeated attempts to discuss things.
If others refuse to talk, we have to move on. But we should never be the ones to cut off communication (Luke 17:3-4; Romans 12:18).
Selfish people:
1. Refuse to discuss relationship problems or refuse to discuss them with an open mind.
2. Refuse to consider the desires of others.
3. Expect their desires to come first.
Christians are told in Philippians 2:3-5 to "have the same mindset as Christ":
1. Doing nothing selfish or conceited.
2. Humbly valuing others above ourselves.
3. Being concerned for the needs and desires of others, not simply our own.
Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
This sharpening process is noisy, abrasive and humbling at times. But, with God's help, we can learn to get along.
Have you given up on someone in your life? See the "Additional Notes" below and check out the Bite Size Bible Study related to this devotion: "Don't Be the One To Give Up."
Additional Notes:
↪ Sometimes we must agree to disagree. We need not have the same views about every subject, but we do need to agree about how to treat each other.
1 Peter 4:8: "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
↪ We must avoid bitterness. See 8 Steps to Overcome Bitterness.
↪ If someone becomes verbally abusive or angry, we may need to take a break, letting them know we want to talk when they calm down.
Proverbs 20:3: "It is to one's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel."
↪ Philippians 2:3-4 says we need to be humble and value others above ourselves, not simply looking out for our own interests but also to the interests of others. However, this passage does not say we should ignore our own interests. People tend to fall into two camps—those who have a tendency to ignore the interests of others and those who have a tendency to ignore their own interests. We must do neither. Please see A Wheel, Not a List.
↪ If we have a problem with a non-family member, we need to treat them kindly, but it's not realistic to think we can be close friends with everyone. See When We Don't Really Like Fellow Believers.
↪ There's nothing wrong with avoiding selfish, critical, immature, hypocritical, and/or ungodly people, especially if they profess to be Christians (1 Corinthians 15:33). Some people have unhealthy or ungodly expectations in relationships. See 4 Types of People God Tells Us To Avoid.
↪ God is the One responsible for placing us in our particular family, and He never does anything without good purposes. Family relationships call for the highest effort and greatest grace. See When Boundaries are Bitter Barriers.
Bible Love Notes
