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Do you remember the parable of the talents (if not you can read about it in Matt 25: 14-30)? You know the one where a master, about to go on a long trip, leaves his three servants in charge of some his possessions. He gives the first one five talents, the second two talents, and the third one talent. This parable is often used to teach about bi
After the master leaves, the first servant immediately doubles his talents and now has ten talents, and the second one does the same. The third servant, however, being afraid of his master, buries his one talent.
On his return, the master pleased that the first two servants have doubled what he had given them, says, “… Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt 25:21 ESV).
The last servant, however, says to his master, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.” (Matt 25:24-25)
The master is not pleased with this response at all and calls the servant wicked and lazy. Because he has not been responsible with the one talent that he received, the master takes it away and gives it to the one with the ten talents. Then he throws the third servant out.
A talent in those days was a form of currency, so this parable is often used to show how we should be good stewards of our (God’s) money. But money isn’t all that God requires us to steward well.
Have you ever considered that you’re also required to steward your purpose? Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a good steward of your purpose? Read on to find out.
BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP OF YOUR TALENTS
God has given each of us a unique set of abilities meant to help us do what He has called us to do. They are aligned with our purpose and are meant to be used to serve others and draw them to the Kingdom of God. They are usually the things we are naturally good at; things we enjoy doing.
It’s important that we understand that our set of talents are unique to us and are a part of God’s plans for the advancement of His Kingdom. This is a great responsibility.
Because our purpose is unique, there is never any reason for us to compare ourselves to others. Even if we have gifts and abilities similar to someone else, God has designed us to use them uniquely.
Because there is no one else like you, no one else has the skill set necessary to fulfill your purpose. You are the only one who is qualified to do so.
Just like in the parable of the talents, God expects you to develop or multiply the talents He has given to you and then give them back to Him by using them to serve Him and others.
If you’re a musician, you’re expected to practice so you get better. If you’re a writer, you need to write every day. In whatever profession you work in, whether you’re a trash collector or a CEO, you’re expected to do your best job and keep improving glorifying God in the work that you do.
STEWARDSHIP OF YOUR TIME
We all wish that we had more hours in the day to do all that we have to do. But, in reality, each one of us has the same 24 hours each day. When the day is over, we cannot get it back. We need to use our time wisely.
I believe that God gives each of us enough time to do what He sent us here to do. Many of us don’t accomplish our assignments because we don’t focus that time on the things related to our calling. It’s important to ensure that we are using our time effectively on activities that advance God’s purpose for us instead of appearing busy.
It’s easy to get distracted with activities that might be noble but not aligned to our purpose. Fulfilling our purpose is a great responsibility; it is the highest ministry you could ever do for God.
Being a good steward of your time almost always means you must say “No” more often. You might have to say no to going out with friends or family, or even to traditional ministry at church.
Remember that when you say “Yes” to something not related to your purpose, you could be saying“No“ to something that brings you closer to your purpose. Set boundaries on your time.
You might even have to say no to yourself. How much time do you spend watching television or on social media? Could you be spending this time more effectively?
According to a recent report from techjury.net, we spend an average of two hours and twenty-two minutes online daily. That’s almost two-and-a-half hours that we could spend doing something more productive.
If you’d like to get an idea of how you’re spending your time online, try an app like Rescue Time. The free version tracks the time you spend online and sends you a weekly report on how you’ve used that time.
BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP OF THE PROMISES OF GOD
Here’s one thing that you might not have thought about stewarding — the promises of God. Not only the general promises of God in the Bible but the specific promises, prophecies, and words that He has spoken to you personally.
God expects us to steward those promises because they are pathways to the unique plan that He has for each of us. They are important to our purpose. So how can we make sure that we are stewarding them correctly?
Record them. Whether you record them by writing them down, audio or video is up to you, just make sure you record them. If you need to, have someone write them down for you.
Study them. Don’t just record what God has said and forget about it. Review it from time to time to remind yourself of what God has promised to do.
When you do this, you will get a further revelation about what God is saying. If there is something you don’t understand, ask the Holy Spirit to make it clearer to you.
During this study time, you might find that God is expecting you to do something to activate the promise.
This is where you take action. Remember that faith without works is dead. Many times we say that we are waiting on God, but often He is waiting on us to do our part. If you sense that there is something that God wants you to do, step out in faith and take action. God will do the rest.
Oh, and the last thing you need to do. Believe Him! God knows what He put inside of you when He created you. Don’t let the fear of messing up keep you from taking action.
That’s what the man with the one talent did. He was so fearful that he didn’t even try. You DO have what it takes, I promise. God will appreciate the fact that you made the effort, even if you “fail”.
I should mention that sometimes God might ask you to “wait” instead of taking visible action. Waiting doesn’t mean that you’re doing nothing. It could be a time of preparation for what God has planned for you.
Ask the Lord what He wants you to do with His promises in this waiting time. Maybe you need to improve on a skill or put other measures in place (like getting out of debt) before He can release you into that promise.
Good biblical stewardship of your purpose requires the development of your skills and talents and wise use of your time. You also need to be responsible with God’s promises over your life by recording them, studying them, believing what He says and taking action (or waiting) where necessary.
Are there any other ways that we can be good stewards of our purpose? Let me know in the comments.
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