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God's
Gifts for God's Glory
Part One- Perspective
By
Paul Myhill, November, 2001
God
calls us to serve with gifts…
"We
have different gifts, according to the grace given us." 1
"There are different kinds of gifts but the same spirit."
2 "From him, (Christ) the whole
body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament (each
unique gift and ability) grows and builds itself up in love, as each
part does its work." 3 "Each
one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God's grace in its various forms." 4
1.
(Rom 12:6a); 2. (1 Cor 12:4); 3. (Eph 4:16); 4. (1 Pet 4:11)
How
wonderful Scripture is. These verses, from four different books of
the canon, flow together so effortlessly to paint a beautiful picture;
a picture of unique craftings working collectively as parts of one
body, set with purpose to serve others, serve God and, in the process,
accredit Him with matchless glory. It is a picture of many hues and
multiple layers. It is a composition possessing a plethora of brushstrokes
of varying weight and direction. All come together to present a work,
not yet completed, with many more applications by many more artists
and brushes to come. It will only reach its fulfillment at the closure
of time, but will adorn its final wall for all eternity…a masterpiece…adored
by the Master.
Every
broad stroke, every small flick of the brush is required for it to
achieve its absolute beauty and totality. Each of us can wield the
brush with assorted aptitude, either minimal or grand. But each will
have the means (the brush itself and paints of our choosing) and
the opportunity (the canvas set before us.) Do we unleash the paint
and have it become something greater than ourselves; release it to
achieve its potential in concert with the prior strokes? Or do we
keep it contained, restrained in its jar, afraid that it will be wasted
or will not provide the desired return and aesthetic complement. The
aptitude, means and opportunity…God provides it all and calls
us to take part in a majestic adventure of the soul. He calls us to
faithfully participate in a rich tapestry of limitless color, texture
and style variation that reflects the fullness of what we can achieve
jointly for His glory…
Jesus
tells us of "a man going on a journey," a man who "called
his servants and entrusted his property to them." The man is
Jesus himself, going away to prepare a place for us, but with the
enduring promise of return. We, the servants, are given everything
"in trust," not as possessors of this wealth, but as stewards
of it. We recognize that it does not "belong" to us.
We
know not of the timing of the Master's return, whether imminent or
in an unseen distant future. The property is distributed in the form
of talents, a denomination of money, yet representing something far
more valuable, far more significant. Our own English word "talent"
is derived from the broader meaning implied in Jesus' potent story.
Jesus
tells of these talents divided between three servants "each according
to his ability," before the master sets on his journey.
A
talent in the time of the Storyteller was of considerable value -
approximately twenty years' wages for an average laborer. Twenty years
of sweat and toil. Twenty years of blood and tears. Twenty years of
sacrifice and choices. The gifts were vast in nature and, consequently,
adequate for a diversity of applications. One servant received five
talents. To the next was given two. And to the last was provided one…small
comparatively, yet still immense in weight and value. Of note is that
all received gifts. None was left wanting. All was given
and all received. Of proportional distribution comes proportional
expectation. Each was called upon to steward their respective gift
in accordance with their ability to do so. No more was expected, just
what was already observed and concluded…known before time. No
servant was required to steward above his capability and opportunity.
But every servant was required to be faithful to what was given.
The
story continues with the servant who had received five talents going
"at once" to put the money to work. "So also"
with the man that was given two talents. There was immediate action,
a sense of urgency, an excitement to produce, not knowing the day
or hour of the master's return.
So
may it be with us also. How many of the faithful have set a future
goal or window in time to employ the passions bestowed upon them?
Why do we postpone, in the name of wisdom and sensibility, liberating
our gifts now? In the meantime, the melodic words remain sealed
in the mind of the poet; the keys remain silent on the piano yearning
to burst forth with harmony; the colors remain muted, refused the
light that brings out their glory; and the world is cheated of passionate
people making passionate contributions.
Our
gifts are not for "when the children are gone." Our gifts
are not for those "golden years" to come. The equipping
and promise is already present. Our gifts are for the here and now,
for a church that needs edification, and for a God that begs to see
them unleashed for His children's sanctification and His resultant
honor.
Sadly,
many identify with the tale of the third servant with one talent,
"who dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money."
On first inspection we immediately recoil and exclaim, "foolish
servant!" Yet in Palestine, in those low inflationary days, the
rabbinic law clearly presented burying money as a safe option, safer
than risky schemes and uncertain ventures. In fact, the citizens of
the period would have praised this servant for his wise judgment,
his astuteness in protecting his master's money.
Despite
our quick response and pert condemnation, the same mentality pervades
and infects in these days also. Variations occur on familiar themes…"Wait
until you have financial security until you do that," or "Don't
be foolish…you can't provide for a family on the limited income
of that profession," and the ever-present permutations of, "you're
not good enough for that aspiration…you'll set yourself up for
certain failure and painful disappointment." Passions muted.
Passions suppressed. Passions deferred. Passions discarded.
In
agreement, we are "wise" in the sight of the world surrounding
us, imprisoning us. The "one-talent wonders" are inevitably
crushed asunder. They will never fully realize the enormity of their
gift. They will never see the contribution the world loses and which
it so desperately needs.
Faithless
servants. Foolish servants.
The
story progresses….The servant with five talents "gained
five more." The servant with two talents "gained
two more." A gain, a profit…something that is larger and
superior than before…something that has produced, multiplied.
Each achieved a 100% return, a full utilization of their gifts.
Proportional expectations were met through proportional, yet equal,
realizations.
But
the servant with one talent gained none. He did not faithfully harness
and direct that which he had been given. He did not tap its potential
and explore its possibilities. Did the one talent seem insignificant
when compared to the others? Did such a comparison breed insecurity
and rebellion, a pride bruised and a default reliance on flesh not
faith?
To
the church in Galatia, Our Lord inspired the evangelist's words: "Let
everyone be sure that he is doing his very best, for then he will
have the personal satisfaction of work well done and won't need to
compare himself with someone else."
Faithless
servant. Foolish servant.
"After
a long time, the master of those servants returned…"
Time protracted. Time extended with chance and purpose. The last servant
must have seen sound prospects and investment occasions during
such a prolonged period. The first two servants set out immediately,
with unbridled enthusiasm, but a rush process clearly wasn't a dictate.
We have been given the grace to develop our talents obediently, but
patiently. Yes, we are to set about the divine task "at once,"
but sufficient opportunities to grow the resources, to multiply them
abundantly, will be presented along the straight path promised. Some
risk is required, but there is no course prescribed for panic investments
and desperate choices. The risk comes in the form of simple steps
of faith, not mindless gambles and irrational impulses.
The
master "returned and settled accounts with them." A day
of inevitable reckoning comes to us all. For those who don't believe,
it will be the ultimate hour of judgment and condemnation. Wrath will
justifiably be released and torment will ensue. For the faithful,
it will be a time of evaluation and reward, a testing of the works
of service we were created to do in joyous response to unmerited salvation
and justification. They will be put to the flame to reveal an instantaneous
and conclusive result. Worthless works, inaction and omission will
find their end as smoldering embers, a simmering reminder of lost
time, lost intent and lost application. Works of edification and consecration
will remain eternal and be generously rewarded. Crowns will accompany
glorified bodies as we share in the joy of the Master and listen to
the commendation we wait a lifetime to hear…
"The
man who had received the five talents brought the other five. "Master,"
he said, "you entrusted me with five talents. See,
I have gained five more." Can you hear the excitement
in the presentation, the exhilaration of serving and producing for
the master? Like the child beckoning to his mother to watch him go
down the slide by himself for the first time. "See,"
Father, and delight in your servant. The patent expectation was to
make a gain and the servant proudly presented one, relishing in the
knowledge of imminent approval.
…"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!"
The
same sweet words of zeal and acclamation resonate for the second servant
- "See…Well done…charge of many things…Come and
share." A wonderful echo of worthy affirmation and jubilation!
The servants had full comfort in their knowledge of fulfillment. They
were congruous with their master's desire. They never had to ponder
if they were of good measure. They never had to cognitively wrestle
as to whether they could have attained even more. They had been obedient.
They had achieved the mystically-symbolic full return. Now they would
receive the ultimate satisfaction and participation. Now they would
be given much more to steward but, more importantly, now they would
experience and be imputed with the joy of their master.
Our
talents are supported and complemented as we faithfully exercise them.
For the pianist, the penchant for the keys becomes the accompaniment
at the local assisted-living center that becomes the participation
in the weekly congregational service that becomes the invitation to
join the professional ensemble and the realization of dreams. As we
obediently partake in the opportunities to serve and edify, we are
provided with more occasion and more ability.
The
last servant then comes forward, portraying the master to be a hard
man of great expectations of whom he was fearful. The somber words
ensue: " I hid your talent in the ground. Here is what belongs
to you." The master replied, "so you knew" did
you? The response was not an admission of the veracity of the servant's
statement, but rather an identification of the self-condemning irony
in the servant's exclamation. If the master was truly known to be
an unjustly demanding man, the servant should have at the very least
put the money in the bank to accrue interest. The master explains
this with deep disappointment and deserved disapproval.
The
last servant did not accomplish the task. The last servant did not
even put forth minimal effort to initiate it. The last servant tries
to excuse himself with fallible reasoning exposing a slothful character
and iniquitous heart.
Faithless
servant. Foolish servant.
He
is met with the words that we implore Our Lord not to utter to us
on that day of reckoning: "You wicked, lazy servant!" The
shamed servant is then stripped of his talent, a lone talent now given
to the one who had earned the five talents more. For the Word dutifully
explains that "everyone who has, will be given more and will
have an abundance." It is the visible penalty of inaction and
pledged reward of involvement.
The
servant is then thrown outside into the darkness, out of relationship
with his master. Like the parable preceding that serves as introduction,
the servant does not join the master at his table for the celebratory
feast. He has no crowns to thrown before his Lord. He did not lose
because of immorality or criminal application of the gifts. He lost
because of willful non-application.
There
is a danger in non-involvement. There is a use-it-or-lose-it foundation
upon which the giftings rest. Since all was given, a redistribution
of talents, a reallocation of gifts, will occur to maximize Kingdom
work. If we prove trustworthy, we are entrusted with more. If we practice
our talents, if we look for open doors to express them, we will receive
more of both. If not, we fall out of right relationship with our Father.
Our salvation is secure, but our earthly rapport is damaged. We are
in need of confession and repentance.
There
are distinct warnings for us all. They are in need of heeding.
God
demands proactive service from all three classifications. The very
gifted of "five talents" are not exempted from full utilization.
They are not to rest on their laurels, unconcerned about increase.
There is a heavy responsibility in that the best gifts require the
best service and the highest accountability. The person of average
gifting, the "two-talent" individual, is to not settle for
mediocrity. They are to develop their talents to their fullest potential
and be mindful of possibility.
And
the individual of lower giftings is to realize that they still posses
an amazing potential contribution, something that is not to be neglected.
They are to understand that their talents will indeed mature and prosper
as a positive consequence of faithful application. They are not to
stew in the quagmire of comparison and germinate bitterness toward
men and God. We are all judged on what we do with what we have been
given, not in relation to others. God knew our ability before the
foundations of the earth were set. He entrusted us with His gifts
accordingly. The only expectation we need meet is the one He set through
the divine apportionment.
Three
categories. Three levels of giftings. One expectation.
"Be
on the alert, for you do not know the day nor the hour." (Matthew
25:13)
Part
Two - Testimony & Application
Part
Three - The Artistic Gift
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