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If You Don’t Use It You’re Going To Lose It

Imagine that you wake up one morning with this terrible crick in your neck. Just as you get into gear with your complaining, trying to coax a little pity out of your wife, you notice that your pillow is a couple of inches higher than normal.

What is this? You look under it and see that the Tooth Fairy left $6000 for you the night before. Yes!

So, you decide to invest it. You’ve heard about this fellow who is a really good broker, hard-working and wise. He’s a bit expensive but by all accounts his results are always good.

You invest $5000 with him.

Then there is this new fellow. You don’t know a lot about him but investing is gambling, so you place $1000 with him to see what he can do. You do worry a bit, though, when you see that his name is “Lazy Jones.”

At the end of the year you get your statement from the first broker and you discover he has made you $5000 off your investment. He doubled your money.

A Letter From Lazy

You also receive a letter from the second fellow—a personal letter no less. “Wow, that’s a nice touch,” you think. But things go downhill from there.

“Dear David,” he writes. “The economy was so bad last year that I decided not to invest your money because I was afraid I would lose it. So, I’m sending your money back (minus my broker’s fee). If you want, I’ll try to invest it for you this year as things seem a bit more hopeful with the economy. Hope everything is going well for you and your family. Sincerely, Lazy Jones.”

Here is a financial question for you. That $1000 which Lazy sent back, who are you going to invest it with? The first guy where you know you’ll get a good return?

Or maybe in your kindness you want to give old Lazy Jones a second chance?

The lazy guy? Well, you might like him, you might pray for him, and you might sincerely wish him well. But, are you going to let him invest your money again?

Only if your mother rocked you too close to the wall when you were a baby.

Now, I’ve got a second question that’s a bit more uncomfortable. Do you think God is dumber than you are?

You see, this story is adapted from a story Jesus told (Matthew 25:L14-29).

Not one of us is an accident. God planned for you to be on this earth. He has a reason for your existence. He’s equipped you with abilities and opportunities to do what you were born to do.

In the story Jesus told, their money was called, “talents.” That is fortunate for us because that is exactly what the Lord gives each of us.

Some have a ton of talent and ability. Others not so much, but EVERYONE has something from God.

Poor Fellow …

I used to feel sorry for the fellow who didn’t use his talent.

I thought, “It’s not fair Lord. You take from the one who buried his one talent and you give it to the ten-talent guy.”

“The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’

“The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.

“‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.’” (Message version)

In the King James version his lord calls him a wicked and lazy servant.

The Lord is not dumber than you and me. He’s not going to invest anymore with Lazy Jones. 

Sure He gives second chances, but when someone has never even hinted at being serious about serving God, He’ll give that person’s gift to another.

And if we goof around or live our lives centered on ourselves, will He invest anymore in us?

There is a penalty if you don’t use what you’re given. That’s what you were born for. If you don’t use your gift or if you only use it selfishly, you lose it.

Would the Lord invest in you again, based on your fruitfulness record? If you’re not giving Him any return on the investment of love, and gifting in your life, stop right now.

Think this through. What gifts do I have? (I don’t want to hear, “I’m can’t do anything? I’ve got nothing to give.” That’s the excuse of the lazy person).

How are you going to multiply that investment in order to have a good return for the One who invested so much in you?

_________________________________

Hmmm … 

“You are what you repeatedly do, therefore excellence ought to be a habit.” John Bevere

“You reap what you sow. In fact, you always reap more than you sow–you plant a seed and reap a bushel … It is one of the truest laws of the universe. Decide what you want out of life and then begin to sow it.” Jim Rohn

Image: Unsplash, Victor JakovlevParalia Garakas, Greece: Flickr, Creative Commons, Sherene IMG_0010 Stop pretending to be asleep!!