What to do with gifts.
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
Matthew 25:21
In Matthew 25 Jesus tells a few stories. One of those stories is about three workers whose boss was going on a long trip. The boss left money for each of his workers. Strategically, he gave them an amount of money based on their skill. He gave them the money that he knew they could handle... Because the first worker was capable of handling the pressure that comes with having great ability, the boss decided to give him extra money. The boss gave him $5,000. The next worker in line was talented in his field but did not need as much as the first one. Because of this, the boss gave him $2,000. Now the last worker did not have the same capacity as the other ones. He could only handle $1,000, so that’s what he was given.
It may seem kind of unfair to give different amounts to the workers, but the Bible says they were each given in accordance with their capacity. It was in proportion to their abilities. So they really were all at 100%. They all had everything they needed to be successful. I may be getting ahead of myself, but if you think you have fewer gifts than others, you have to realize that you were given EXACTLY what you need to be successful. The ball is in your court and you have been given everything you need to score. But back to the story.
As soon as the boss gave each of them their stipend, he left the country to take care of some business. The workers wondered what to do with their money. The worker who received $5,000 invested his money and ended up with $10,000! The next worker used his money responsibly and worked to make more also. He doubled his money turning his $2,000 into $4,000! These wise investors were doing great turning their gifts into more than they could had imagined.
Now the last worker on the other hand was scared. He could have focused on what he had and doubled it too, but he was too scared to use his gift for its intended purpose. He could have still built upon what he had instead of comparing his gifts to the people around him but he let the fear of failure get in the way of success. I really identify with this. When something (like our gifts) is special to us, we want to protect it. We want to hide it from people who may doubt it or pick at it. We may be afraid that others won’t respect or affirm us while we’re being vulnerable so we hold back. We may even want to shield it from people who may look like they're more gifted than us. We may keep it to ourselves out of fear that it isn’t good enough to be used. There are many reasons you may be afraid to use your gift. You may be like this last worker.
The last worker had to have seen the others building on their gifts and bettering themselves, yet he was still scared and hid his gift. This hits home because I know what it's like to be asked to sing and say no because you are afraid you aren’t good enough, or to be asked to speak and shy away because you don’t feel as eloquent or poised as others… I know what it's like to hide out of fear of failure… I know what it’s like to be so intimately connected to and protective of your gift that you don’t show them out of fear that someone may shoot it down. I can empathize with this worker.
When the boss came back, he asked how his workers had used the money he gave them. He was elated to hear about the big things the first two workers had accomplished with their gifts. He was proud of their growth and congratulated them on their wise investments. He was so impressed and pleased with the first two that he asked them to do more for him in the company and gave them more gifts to work with! They were given more power because of how they had handled the little bit they were first given. When the boss got to the last worker he expected similar news but was saddened to hear that the worker still only had $1,000. This was unheard of and the boss demanded an explanation. The worker went on to explain that he hid the money because he was afraid to use it wrong. He explained how he remembered the boss’s high expectations and the thought of using the gift below its full potential scared him. He let fear get in the way of trying. The boss was disgusted by this reasoning and explained how disappointed and saddened he was by the worker. The boss went on to explain how the last worker's actions were criminal and vile. The least he could have done was invested the money, but instead, he buried it! He could’ve asked for help. He saw others building but was scared. He knew what was expected but he was scared. He knew what the gift was and what he was called to do but he hid it.
Replace the boss with God, the workers with us, and the money with our God-given gifts, talents, abilities, and influence. We are all born with a unique set of skills and positioning, but it's our job to cultivate them into something God can further use. God may set some up for what looks like immediate success more than others, yet we still all have the ability to use what we possess to accomplish great things. Don't be scared of using your gifts. You have to use them in order for them to grow.. Do not hide your abilities from the world like the last worker. Be like the first two workers and use your natural skills to better your situation. We are God's investments and He deserves a bountiful harvest.
Some may feel like their gifts are too small to be used to make a real difference, and this is exactly how the last worker felt. The Message Bible depicts the worker in a vulnerable state as he explains his actions. The worker responded to his concerned boss with a simple, “I was afraid I might disappoint you.” This is a very common feeling, but little becomes much when you place it in the master’s hands. All God wants is willingness. The boss told the worker that it would have been better if he just put the money in a bank and let it accumulate interest. It would have been better if he put it in a bank and just let people who know what they are doing deal with it. JESUS KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING AND IS WILLING TO HELP YOU ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS! If you don't know what to do with your gifts, just let God handle them and something spectacular will come from that.
Proverbs 16:3 is a great verse for this thought: “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.”
In other words, let God handle it and you WILL be fine. Keep moving. We serve a God who fed 5,000 hungry dudes with a sack lunch. He’s placed more than enough inside of you to accomplish great things! Imagine if the boy with the 5 loaves and 2 fish didn’t give them to Jesus and let Him multiply them? Give your gifts back to God and let Him work. The fear of getting started holds so many people back. All I'm saying is try. If the worker had just asked for help this could’ve all been avoided. If you don’t know how to move forward, ask an inspiring friend who can help guide and motivate you. I’m sure they would love to see you flourish. Just try. Stop making excuses and build. We have some time before we go back to school with this Corona stuff… (That sentence really dates this huh lol.) Let's make this time mean something.
If God has given you a talent, don't neglect it. Use it for Him and build on it! Perfect your craft. If you can naturally sing, then go take some lessons. If you can lead, study great leaders. If you care about people, learn to be a comforter. Don't settle for the base gifts God has given you. Improve on them and grow. Never stop growing.
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