The Riverbank Lent 2011 Devotional Plan
“The Journey to the Cross”
Day 20: Reading – Matthew 25:14-30
Focus: Verse 24 And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter; 25 and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own. 26 But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter;
Meditation:
High Risk, High Reward. ‘Playing it safe’ is wickedness and evil and as a strategy will backfire and lead to great loss. Custodians of God’s immeasurable grace and gifts must make a profit, posturing and playing ‘not-to-lose’ is wickedness and slothfulness. A selfish proposition, a great wickedness!
Consider a few examples; if someone has a great voice and intentionally decides to stay oblivious, hide that voice, remain silent while others could greatly benefit from one’s singing and there has been an open invitation, an interest and yet the ‘gifted one’ decides otherwise that is indeed wickedness and slothfulness. This assumes all other factors remain constant.
If one is articulate with numbers or perhaps dexterous and capable of many great things, yet decides to hoard and hide those great talents and chooses to remain in obscurity (gifts and not publicity) despite the many opportunities to improve others and invariably themselves then no doubt that is also wickedness and slothfulness.
It somewhat sounds mean and callous but one must understand the natural order as designed by God: In Genesis, God’s mandate for all remains – be fruitful, replenish, dominate, increase, expand, and bless others. Anything contrary is ungodly and mustn’t be embraced. Increase is the supernatural order and a conscious attempt to stifle growth, destroy fruitfulness is wickedness, slothfulness and indeed contrary to God’s intention. You lose what you refuse to nurture and increase. Plain and Simple.
Prayer:
I pray that you will discover, develop and deploy all the God given talents and abilities in you for God’s glory in Jesus Name, Amen
God’s blessings,
Pst Flo
