Blessed to be a Blessing

Matthew 25:14-30

14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21"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!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"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!'
24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

A different look at this parable –

Using the money God gives you for yourself – that’s like putting it in the ground. It is not gaining anything.

Using it to help others – giving to the poor, homeless, etc. is like earning interest in God’s kingdom.

What He has given to us is not ours – it is to be used to benefit the kingdom of God. That will multiply it immensely. We don’t “deserve” to spend money on ourselves. We deserve death for our sins – Jesus has given us life – let’s give that gift of life to others and not keep it for ourselves.

This not only applies to our finances, but our time as well. How can we say we don't have "time" to help others - in the homeless shelter, jails, prisons & where it is needed? Do we think our time is our own also? We need to make sure we share everything we have with those less fortunate and that includes our time as well as our finances. God did not put us on this earth to be "successful" in an earthly sense, but to be "successful" in His Kingdom here on earth. Everything we have has been given to us by Him, we haven't "earned" it and we certainly don't "deserve" it. God gives us things to see how we will use them, either selfishly for ourselves or unselfishly to help others. What do you do with what God has given you?

God said to Moses in Genesis 12:2

"And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing."

We are blessed so we can be a blessing to others, that's the ONLY reason.

We do not want to be like the goats mentioned in Matthew 25:31-46. We need to do unto others as we would to Jesus.

I pray that I will give back to others what God has given me, that I won't think I am worthy enough to keep anything for myself. I want Jesus to say to me, "Well done, good & faithful servant.". Don't you?

God be with you and bless you today.

Gina