Embedded Files
The Capital One commercial starts with the question, "What do you have in your wallet?" It's a question we wonder about. Wallets are those places where we keep things that have value, and from which we take what is valuable to give or exchange with others.
But, whatever our financial resources might be, it is often not the amount of money we have that causes us to wonder the most, but rather whether or not what we have in others ways has value or is worth sharing. How many of us, when that question takes a form that is not primarily about finances, often walk away with the feeling that what others have to offer is more significant than what we do?
The truth of the matter is, however, that we are gifted and resourced in many varied and rich ways, even though we sometimes may have difficulty realizing the value of what we have, or what it might become if it is invested well.
What God Has Put In Your Wallet
In addition to the parable that Jesus told about the talents in Matthew 25 (left), there are a number of places in the scriptures that serve as examples of the ways we are gifted, and what can happen as we take what we have been given and share it for the good of others. For example:
In this story we see what happens when we take what we have, even when it seems like very little in comparison to the needs we are trying to meet, and place it in the hands of Jesus.
A discussion of how each one of us is gifted uniquely, but no insignificantly. See also 1 Corinthians 12:1-31
Take a few moments to reflect on these passages, and ask yourself, "so, what is it that God has put in my wallet?"
Mesa Grande Academy
Bell Choir
Matthew 25:14-30
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, [a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag 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 five bags of gold brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five bags of gold. 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 two bags of gold also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two bags of gold; 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 one bag of gold 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 gold 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 bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For those who have will be given more, and they will have an abundance. As for those who do not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
This week, in the midst of Mesa Grande Academy sharing their talents with us in some amazing ways, we will be thinking about the way that God gifts us, and the rich lives we live when we use and share them.
We'll be thinking specifically of how we have been blessed by the way that one of our pastoral staff, Dustin Comm, has blessed us with his unique gifts, even as we wish him well as he leaves us to pursue the development and sharing of those gifts in another place.
We will also be thinking about how true it is that, when we recognize and use the gift that God has given us (not wishing for the ones we don't have that others might possess), that we find joy.
If you'd like to listen again to the service, or perhaps hear it for the first time, you can click here to access our sermon library.
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