Don't Just Wait For The Bus!

What does it mean to be entrusted with something?
It's basically bring given an assignment (Consider; assignments must be done, lest one gets punished..lol..).
Jesus was one very good teacher and in one of His teachings, He gave a story of a master who was going on a long journey for an unknown period of time.He therefore entrusted three of his servants talents ; and I quote (from the Bible) 'each according to his ability'..

Which brings me to my first point :
We are all gifted differently, according to our ability.Keep in mind that God created you and I, He designed our every being and hence gifted us according to the way he created us.This master did not leave any of his servants empty-handed, without a talent.Similarly, God gifted us all!All of us, inclusive of those who haven't discovered their gifting yet.

Hoping we all have altleast a rough idea of how this story goes, we know that the first and second servants put their (ten and five talents respectively) to work.Note: a talent in those days referred to several hundred pounds.
"Well done, good and faithful servant...,"said the master to the first two servants.Why?Simply because the master initially sought to measure the quality of their stewardship and they passed the test..

See, God has entrusted us with natural aptitudes that He expects us to invest in rather than bury our 'talent' (like the unfaithful servant) and await the master's return.
The master continued to say, "You have been faithful in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things."

Allow me to explain to you how God challenged me with this specific verse.
I'm a singer.I've always dreamt of recording my music, ministering to people around the globe and changing lives through my gift.One fine Sunday, I got to church over early, whispered a prayer and began to meditate on how my just-ended week had been.I was feeling a bit low that morning, and even worse, I was 'not in the mood' to lead Praise and Worship that day.I had also not been giving much of my time and attention to the practise sessions that went on every Saturday afternoon in church.I suddenly found myself thinking about it.I was honestly not being faithful in using my gift to glorify God at my local church.How then would God trust me to do the same to the whole world?!
I quickly resolved to change that and get moving, no excuses, no looking back.

It's important to note that God gave us talents; firstly, to glorify him..secondly, to let people know more about him and thirdly, so that we can benefit from them.God does not expect us to use our skills or talents and end up sleeping hungry, getting nothing out what we do.The faithful servants were out in charge of 10 and 5 cities respectively..they benefited from investing in their talents!

I'd like us to pay close attention to the actions and responses of the third servant.He buried his one talent beneath the ground.He didn't even consider banking it so that it could gain some interest(Matthew 25:27).What he gave as his excuse for doing so really caught my eye.He said,"I knew you were a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.So I was afraid and went out and his your talent in the ground.See, here is what belongs to you."
He was afraid..he couldn't even try!

What is your excuse for failing to put to work your gifting from God?
(Realise that this servant referred to the talent as 'your', which brings out the fact that he hadn't really owned this talent.Own that talent!It's yours..God GAVE it to you)
In the book of Exodus, Pharaoh once sent out the Israelites to make bricks without having given them the necessary materials to do the work.(Exodus 5:1-9)
This master, on the other hand, provided the means for his slave to make profit.He hadn't given any restrictions, nothing that could deter this servant from doing what was required of his like his comrades did.It was not the master's problem, it was the slave's problem.It's not God's problem, it's YOUR problem..
Quit making excuses.Maya Angelou once said, "Courage is the most important of all the virtues because with courage, you can practise any other virtue consistently."
Take a step of courage, friend.

God values a hard worker, not just a hard prayer.The two go well together.Never one without the other.
(1 Cor 10:31"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God)
Recall what Paul said in 2 Thes 2:3, "whoever shall not work, shall not eat.
In Genesis 2:15; The Lord took man and put him in the garden of Eden to work and keep it.

It's a sad reality that not everyone lives a life of gravity.Many talented and gifted people just drift along.Why?Because to fulfil your purpose in life, you have to be determined to grasp the reality of what you are destined for.Unfortunately, people are often under-challenged.There's nothing as sad as looking at a person living below their potential, never reaching a new level.I'm hoping that if you are not yet living to the fullness of your potential, you will now take stock of your life.God wants our lives to count for something, He wants us to vr productive.
As Christians, sometimes we take our salvation as a 'bus-ticket' to heaven.That phenomenon blinds us, causing us to fail to do what's required of us here on earth.Praying alone doesn't put food on your table, pray yes, then go out and work for it and God will see you through.True, earth is not our home but DON'T JUST WAIT FOT THE BUS!

Love,
Karwirwa Laura.