The Biblical Meaning Of SuccessSýnishorn

Not Our Own

Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service, you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already. —C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

In the parable of the talents, everything belongs to the master. The money that is given to the servants is not their own. The money they earn with the capital is not theirs to keep. The servants are only stewards of the master’s investment, and it is the quality of their stewardship that the master seeks to measure.

We should maximize the use of our talents not for our own selfish purposes, but to honor God who is our master. We know that we work in a fallen world. Because of the curse of sin, our work will be difficult. But we should feel satisfaction and joy from doing our best with what God has given us in the place where his providence puts us, seeking to succeed in order to honor him and serve others.

As 1 Peter 4:10-11 says,

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Unfortunately, far too many Christians go to work with the idea that their talents exist simply for them to make a lot of money so they can happily retire. Instead, God gave you talents to benefit others, not yourself. And God gave other people talents that benefit you.

Ultimately, Jesus Christ himself is the consummate example of this self-sacrificing model of stewardship. He gave his very life for the sake of the other.

By God’s grace, let us strive to be faithful stewards of all God has given us within the opportunities presented through his providence to glorify him, serve the common good, and further his kingdom.

Additional Elements

A resource for beginning to understand your calling and how your gifts might serve others is Discover Your Story: A Biblical Guide to Finding Your Calling.