Tag Archives: Sharing the Good News of Jesus

Using Our Talents

Living in the Spirit

June 12, 2021

Scripture Reading: Mark 4:26-34

He also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’

He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

I value scientists because they have the tenacity to try to understand the wonders of our world. This ability in no way discounts God, the Creator. If anything, it deepens respect for God in various ways. By planting the seeds of curiosity and exploration in humans, we have soared to heights unknown and still have only tapped the basics in many areas. Jesus said in John 14:12, Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Jesus was clear God expects much out of God’s children. In the parable of the talents, a man going on a journey entrusted talents to his servants while he was away. When the man returned, the first two servants reported that they had increased the number of talents left in their care. The third said that he buried the talent entrusted to him because he was afraid the man would be angry if it came to harm. Indeed, the man was mad that the talent had not been used, much less multiplied*. In this example, talent designates what we would call money today. I believe it has a deeper and richer meaning to include all of our abilities to make the world a better place for everyone and enable everyone to contribute their talents in the process.

Prayer: Lord, Help us each to hone our skills and practice them in your service. Also, help us enable others to do the same. Amen.

*See Matthew 25:14–30

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Wisdom from God

Christmastide

December 31, 2020

Scripture Reading:

Wisdom of Solomon 10:15-21
A holy people and blameless race
wisdom delivered from a nation of oppressors.
She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord,
and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs.
She gave to holy people the reward of their labors;
she guided them along a marvelous way,
and became a shelter to them by day,
and a starry flame through the night.
She brought them over the Red Sea,
and led them through deep waters;
but she drowned their enemies,
and cast them up from the depths of the sea.
Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly;
they sang hymns, O Lord, to your holy name,
and praised with one accord your defending hand;
for wisdom opened the mouths of those who were mute,
and made the tongues of infants speak clearly.

‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. –Matthew 10:16

One of the positive results of the phenomenon of misinformation flooding our land is that most of us are spending more time fact-checking and realizing how words matter. Part of the problem is that we have morphed into a society of thirty-second sound bites that result in words being bent to deliver a message and contain a whole host of ingrained ideas and images. I first experienced this concerning faith several years ago in a theology class. I said I considered myself a fundamentalist as I strive to follow Jesus’ commandments to love God and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. I was assured that was not the meaning of Fundamentalist, with a capital “F.” That word describes a five-step plan for salvation that arose sometime in the 19th century. We now have the same problem with the word evangelical. All Christ-followers are called to be evangelists, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. With a capital “E,” the word Evangelical now describes a group that integrates their faith with a particular political blend of thought.

The Wisdom of Solomon quote above is recognizing and celebrating God’s provision of wisdom to Moses and the Israelites as God led them out of bondage in Egypt.  Jesus, too, advises us to seek wisdom as we share the good news of his leadership and love for all people, ‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. –Matthew 10:16

Prayer: Lord, grant us the wisdom to discern your will in our lives as we share the significance of your Incarnation with others. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.