Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Take care—

I look at my front yard from my deck, what do I see? Some days what I see is up to me. 
Literally I see grass that is crying out to be cut, or used for a small pasture. Flowers--I love flowers, and there are flower leaves waving at whoever will rescue them. Roses that need pruned and...
Well, there you go. Always some opportunity.

Opportunity?
Well, yes opportunity.
"To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." 
(Matthew 25:15-23 ESV)

If you notice the scripture above, the lesson is of a person with a fortune that 'gives' his servants money (that's what talents are here) and leaves on a journey. Each servant does something with the money he received. Two are wise, and one is foolish. 


A number of people have taken offense to Donald Trump. They say he 'was a rich kid, and what he has he inherited'. Hhas said repeatedly, no, my dad gave me a 'million dollars' to make my fortune. I did not inherit what I have today. 


Something people don't understand is a millionaire, even Donald Trump, can go broke. If you are doing 'deals' in real estate and what not, you can lose it all. A million dollars can evaporate fast if you don't make the right choices, or if you make the wrong choices too many times. 


What Mr. Trump has and/or how he made his fortune is not what I'm concerned with here. Look around you at your fortune. That's what I'm talking about. 


We are the servants. Our treasure is our lives. If we don't take care of what we've been given, God won't give us more. As Dave Ramsey has said, more money doesn't make you rich, it just makes you more of what you already are.

What Dave Ramsey says is people that have to have the latest gadget hardly ever become 'rich'. No matter how much money that comes into their possession, it has soon flown out the window on something newer, and in their eyes at least, better.They aren't wise with their resources.They may 'have' more money, but to no avail.   


"He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?" (Matthew 25:24-26 ESV)

What he's saying is, if person is a lousy person putting more money in their pocket, or fancier clothes on their outside is like putting lipstick on a pig. 

And what God tells us is take care of your internal character.

Build sturdy relationships 
  • With God first
  • Family (spouse, children, parents/siblings, friends, neighbors)
  •  Take care of your home, car, possessions--it shows a personal, internal honor, a sense of self-worth
In one sense we are all born a millionaire. We are born with a vast treasure given to us by a loving God. Let's not hide our treasure in the ground, but let us take care, and be busy looking for opportunities to be about our Father's business. 

Hallelujah! What a Savior.