How long is the land to mourn And the vegetation of the countryside to wither? For the wickedness of those who dwell in it, Animals and birds have been snatched away, Because men have said, ``He will not see our latter ending." Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter And set them apart for a day of carnage! You are near to their lips But far from their mind.īut You know me, O LORD You see me And You examine my heart's attitude toward You. You have planted them, they have also taken root They grow, they have even produced fruit. Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease? ``Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ``For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. `Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.' `Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ``But his master answered and said to him, `You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. `And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. ``And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. ``Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, `Master, you entrusted two talents to me. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things enter into the joy of your master.' ``His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful slave. ``The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, `Master, you entrusted five talents to me. ``Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ``But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. ``In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. ``Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. ``To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability and he went on his journey. ``For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. Don’t miss this moment with Him-how will you use your gifts to serve His kingdom today? In a similar way, our Father in heaven delights to see a humble heart that is ready to serve Him (Col. Parents take pride in seeing their children grow in mind and body through the years. The Parable of the Talents clearly shows us what happens when we “bury” what He’s given us: We not only dishonor Him we also miss out on the joy of fulfilling our purpose and experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised. It’s not enough to identify our spiritual gifts-we have to use and be good stewards of them. You know what they say: Use it or lose it. Food and medication have a limited shelf life. Some machines start to rust and break down without regular use. Similarly, if we don’t exercise regularly, we lose muscle strength. When we don’t regularly practice a skill, we can start to lose proficiency. Have you ever tried to do something you haven’t done for a while, such as ride a bike, play the piano, or speak French? You may have been surprised to find yourself stumbling a little.
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