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
My husband and I have been discussing and praying about what kind of financial investments we should make as we plan for our future. Looking at this got me thinking about how important it is for us to not simply look at how we invest financially, but how we invest our lives. We’ve set standards for what a financially successful future will look like, but what does a successful life look like?
I think Jesus sums it up in the parable of the talents. There are three servants and each is given a certain amount of money to invest. The first two servants put their monies to work, doubling what they had started with. The third servant was fearful of losing what he had been given, so he buried the money in the ground so that when his master returned, he simply gave him back what he had been given. The master called this servant wicked and lazy.
God has given each of us gifts and abilities and we have a choice how to use these. He does not want us to bury them, hiding them in the ground. He gave them to us so that we would invest them and use them wisely to build up treasures in heaven. We are not to squander His great gifts or spend them frivolously on our own selfish ambitions. Rather, we are to invest them into something that will last. We are to invest them and use them for God’s glory.
God will reward those who wisely invest their lives. Everything we have been given really belongs to God, so there is accountability and expectation to use these gifts wisely. Do not let fear or greed keep you from thinking through how you can use all you have been given to live a life that is successful. Prayerfully seek the Lord, asking how you can invest your time and talents into something that is eternal.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Make a list of at least 5 talents/abilities you feel God has blessed you with.
2. Pray over this list asking God how you can use these for His glory.
FURTHER READING:
Proverbs 17:16; Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Couples Devotional: Let Go of the Grudge