Day 212 “The use of our talents may look different, but the outcome will be the same.”

Day 212 Matthew 25:24-30 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” I have a smitten of fear as I read this passage. I can honestly say that I really don't care for the way it ends, in particular, the statement “…cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness.” Just how would the Lord define an unprofitable servant anyhow? Obviously, in this parable He is saying that those who do nothing with the "objects of value" which He has left for each of us will be harshly judged. Now, I really am not one who likes to go around scaring believers into thinking they need to do more; after all, I am not infinitely aware of what anyone else is doing with the talents the Lord has given them–each of us must keep our own account. However, this does seem to be a very serious matter to the Lord. Before we allow our minds to get too carried away and let satan wrongly convict us, I would like to share a story with you, one that I dare say many of us share. You see, this story begins with two grandmothers, both of whom loved the Lord: one was a pastor and the other a housewife; both prayer warriors. They not only shared a love for the Lord, they also shared a grandson, the eldest and firstborn; a child they loved dearly and spared no effort in exhibiting the depth of this love to. Then there was the mother, with a love and dedication that only mothers can know, a conviction deep in her soul that drove her to her knees as well pleading for the Lord’s blessings, and will. Each prayed at every thought of this child for his salvation and fulfillment of the will of the Lord in his life, even after he began his time in ministry and full-time service to the Lord. You see, they were the ones who fought the greatest of battles. Whether on their calloused knees or standing with the strength of a roman warrior, they fought night and day for decades and decades, never relenting in their prayers. No one will ever know what pitfalls were avoided or what schemes of the enemy foiled because of their faithful and relentless prayers except the Lord, to whom they pleaded. These women of faith fought long and hard for this "object of value" even though, more often than not, this object felt unworthy and worthless, unable to be loved. Yet, because of those prayers, a man was saved and lives were changed, and this object of value now knows that he is valuable, if only to the King; surely, that is truth enough. You see, no man knows the heart of another or what goes on in the quietness of their hearts, but God knows; He hears the cries of the righteous, and He alone will judge each one according to their faithfulness. Therefore, who is greatest among men, the one who is well-known, seen and loved by many, or the quiet one known only to God, fighting the battle few will ever see? These things will remain a mystery, yet one thing we do know by the Word: those who are lazy and slothful with the things of God will be judged accordingly. Let's do all we can to be counted worthy of His reward! Daily Prayer: Father, I pray for the strength to stand for those who need a hand even when I cannot see the fruit I desire. May I be faithful to serve you well. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. “The use of our talents may look different, but the outcome will be the same.” Gene Burroughs, Pastor