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God enjoys our offering of talents
We pick up our story when the master returns from his trip and calls his servants to give an account of what they’ve done with their assigned talents.
First up is servant one who presents an outstanding report of how he has gained five more talents. The master responds to the first servant with these beautiful words: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” And then the master shares this staggering invitation with him: “Come and share in your master’s happiness.”
Servant two follows with his report. He has gained two more talents. Do you remember what the master says to him? Here’s what really packed a punch for me: the master says the exact same words to the second servant as he does to the first servant. The master commends him and joyfully invites the second servant to share in his happiness.
The master was not concerned that the return on the investment is only four talents as opposed to servant one’s ten talents. The master was simply thrilled that the second servant worked with the single-minded goal of pleasing him.
Friends, when God allots talents He is not concerned with the ROI, but He is deeply concerned about our hearts. Which brings us to the fourth “E” of the Bible Plan: God ENJOYS our offering of time, talents, and treasures as we worship Him.
He is overjoyed when we work with all our hearts for Him, not grudgingly, not because we have to, not because we’re afraid of the discipline, but from an overflow of gratitude and love. Do we work for the warmth of the Father’s pleasure or for cold, hard, tangible results that the world values? Do we live to bring a smile to our Father’s heart?
Bring it Home
What are we working for? Do we employ our talents and resources to please God or do we focus on our own glory? Are we simply attempting to build our own names, or do we use our talents for an Audience of One?
Lean In
Heavenly Father, May I always know that You are more concerned about what’s inside my heart than the outcomes of my work. May I live to glorify Your name through all I do, no matter how insignificant the world may tell me it is. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Scripture
About this Plan
The Parable of the Loaned Money - the story of the master distributing talents to his three servants - is perhaps familiar to many of us. But is the narrative really about the servants’ performance? In this Bible Plan, we’ll see that when God gives us talents and resources, He doesn’t look for results or for a return on investment - but for a deeper relationship with His children.
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