His benefit

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

HIS BENEFIT

Matt 25:14-30

14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 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.' 21 "His master replied, '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!' 22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23 "His master replied, '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!' 24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

NIV

Again we have to realize this is about the kingdom of God in which there is no money. Therefor we would be safe in saving this teaching has nothing to do with earthly money and our ability of making more from what we have, by wise investments. This would agree with the principle of transcultural truths. That is to say we should be able to teach the truth of God in every culture in every time in history. Not all cultures throughout the history of man were able to invest in the stock market or some form of banking to improve their earthy portfolio. Thus this truth has to do with how the kingdom of God works here on earth. God gives to each of us some ability, some gift or talent. To some of us he bestows a larger amount of talent, or ability. To some he bestows a slightly smaller amount of ability. This amount of ability is not the main theme of this parable. The point is what we do with how ever amount of ability the Lord gives to us. This also illustrates that all our abilities come from the Lord. If we ever think we are the source of our ability, we are so sadly mistaken or overcome with pride. God gives to each person according to his own assessment of how much we can properly handle. This is the very point, how we handle the ability God has given to us. Do we use our ability to further or improve the kingdom of God? We have to see that even in the case of the parable all the gain of talents was given back to the master. The servants were not able to keep any of it. So it is with our abilities. They come from God and belong to God and we are going to be held accountable for how we use them for his benefit. As in the parable, we all have been given some amount of ability or talent. If we are the type of people who never use what God has given to us, we will answer for it. That is to say we merely cannot be church attenders on Sunday morning and think we are true servants of the Lord. We need to be using our abilities to further the kingdom of God. How do we determine what abilities God has given to us? That seems pretty clear. We need only look inside and see what we are capable of doing in the kingdom. We all have been placed in various positions within the culture with a wide variety of skills. If we only use our education or professional training for the furtherance of our own position or station we might well be missing the point of our life. Everything we do should be for the purpose of bringing glory to God.

Col 3:22-25

22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

NIV

Even our jobs or professional positions should be done as service to the Lord. He has given some people great abilities, but they must use them for his benefit, not theirs. Some of us have very little abilities, but whatever we have we need to use them for God. If we are sweeping the floor, we sweep to bring glory to God. Our employer should know we claim to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus, not just a church goer. They should know we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, in fact we might well have shared the gospel with them in some manner. Nevertheless, they are, as the world is, watching us, seeing how we react in situations, how we interact with people, how we sweep the floor. We should be the shining example of the best employee or in the case of those with larger abilities, the best employer. All we are, all we say, all we do should be for the benefit of our Lord. Are purpose is not to gain more for ourselves either in stature or materialism. Our purpose is to gain more for the kingdom, to be a benefit to the kingdom. This may take the form of being a servant to others, as Jesus has demonstrated toward us. Whatever he gives us, must be returned to him. So it is with all our abilities, they all must be used for him and given back to him. This would also imply, since they all come from him, we need to use our abilities in all humility. This would then mean whatever we do should not be for the praise of men, but of God. We cannot boast in our abilities in anyway, for they come from God.

1 Cor 1:26-31

26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.   31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  

NIV

Let us boast in the Lord, for he has given abilities unto us for his glory, for his benefit.