God given Talents were Meant to be Shared!
So what does this word ‘shared’ mean? To be used! So to be used how, by who, and for what?
And the question most ask 1st is; What do I get out of this?
So let me ask of you just one little thing, before these questions are answered; Do you have any talents, at all? And the answer is simply, Yes! We all have talents of one kind or another, and though we may think they are nothing, or not at all; God’s Word says otherwise.
So let’s suppose all you have, is a daily do nothing job like me; I stock shelves at Wal-Mart and nothing else. So, do I have a talent? Yes, I go to work everyday, and earn a pay check just as God’s Word demands that I do. I then give ten per cent to my local church, and I also often bring food, and clean, and help. It seems like nothing but God uses even the most simple things to help others. You have no idea what God can do until you see some of the miracles I have seen.
Pro_3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So can I do more? Yes! Anyone can do more, but remember this; it is God that gives the ‘increase’ (as the scripture says (1 Corinthians 3:6-7), not men, and men should never seek glory for their efforts, for when they do God is not happy, and says in His Word, they have reaped what they sowed, and they have received their reward from this world, and not laid up treasures in heaven. Read; Matthew 6:1-4
So what is this all about?
God asks us to help others in need, those that are hurting, the down trodden, the poor, homeless, and the widows and orphans. James 1:27; Psalm 68:5; Psalm 82:3 and many other scriptures. But, how can I give when I myself have so little, is usually the response.
For this we have an abundance of God’s Word devoted to you! Where does all that you have come from in the 1st place? I have a special scripture I use for an eschatological approach, and it works equally well here: Psalm_50:10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. Many love to argue about the word ‘one thousand’ as it is used in the Bible to indicate many things, but it just means simply, ‘A lot, a whole bunch, innumerable’. But, my question then is this: which cattle on which thousand hills belongs to God? Of course they all do! God created this whole universe and it all belongs to Him! Even everything you have or earn is given of God, and now is the time when many get mad, and say I earned it so it is mine. OK…, if you say so… but God’s Word says otherwise.
So what is the point as you might be pondering? Well, God has a point to make in all of the scriptures, and it simply means if you will trust in God and do as He commands and truly help others out of the goodness of your heart, He will give to you more, and more to offer and give. Remember giving is not just money, it is many talents, and I will add the scriptures to this article which says this.
But 1st:
A man by the Name of Larry Burkett said this; “Someone responded by arguing that God was not that interested in the subject of our money. So Larry dug into the Bible and came back armed with over 700 verses highlighted about money in the Bible and started to organize them. Crown Financial Ministries now says that there are actually about 2,350 verses on finances and possessions in the Bible. That is more verses – more material – than all 13 letters in the New Testament that Paul wrote! God obviously cares about our view of possessions to instruct us that much about it.
Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). He is saying that what we do with our money and our possessions reveals our real priorities. It’s that simple. So what we study in these pages is not secular or non-spiritual. God is talking to us about a spiritual thermometer – a way to measure what is really going on in our heart with God.”
Another point is this: If we don’t learn it by life experiences, there is something we should learn from every funeral. We don’t “own” anything because we don’t take it with us.
Solomon, the wisest man ever, said, Ecclesiastes 5:15 “Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.” The apostle Paul concurred; in1 Timothy 6:7 “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” Job, at his lowest point worshipfully agreed, saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” Job 1:21
God didn’t stutter about how temporary material things are. We only have them for a little while. And a preacher I know and respect has often said, he has never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul.
The whole point leads us to this scripture, for we all have talents, abilities that allow us to walk among others in this world. Another good point is there are many who either can not walk, or work, or communicate, see, or otherwise easily walk among others as you and I do; so you are very blessed, and should share of what God has given to you with others in need. And I do mean share of yourself, and not just give money to some charity so that your conscience is clean, for that is not at all what God meant for you to do; he meant for you to do these things yourself.
Luke 16:10-13 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. (11) If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? (12) And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? (13) No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
These days everyone likes to boast that they are multi-taskers! The sad part of that is this; do they do both equally as well, are you absolutely doing both to the very best? The answer is simple, NO! Unless maybe it is sleeping, and breathing, which is an automatic function to begin with. And so this scripture talks about men/women and just who is trusted with more. For are you not to serve God with all your heart, soul, and mind? Mark 12:30 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
So it is impossible to serve two masters and yet the majority of people say that they can, and I ask how according to scripture? Read the last line in the scripture of Luke 16:13, it answers itself.
The scripture of the Talents: Matthew 25:14-27 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. (15) And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. (16) Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. (17) And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. (18) But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. (19) After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. (20) And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. (21) His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (22) He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. (23) His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (24) Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: (25) And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. (26) His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: (27) Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
So if we will simply seek to do more for others, in a none selfish, non-self elevating way, and do it out of love, then God will give us more to do more; But if we seek just to have more material goods in our lives, then perhaps things will work out like they do most of the time with Lottery winners and in a few short years be worse off than when they started? Now, the real end game is this; God knows and sees your heart so doing good must really be a part of your soul, or God will just ignore your gift.
One last special scripture for me: 2Corinthians 9:6-8 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. (7) Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (8) And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
All things can be done through God! sc