Wendy Pope
"I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back." Matthew 25:25 (NLT)
Reality shows are the craze today. You can watch children with problems set on the straight and narrow by The World's Strictest Parents. If you are not happy with your spouse, you can Wife Swap for another spouse while millions watch. The world is also even now invited into the private moments of drug and alcohol interventions.
One of the newest reality shows to hit the airwaves is called Hoarders. People on this show have made a lifestyle out of holding on to what they have. In Hoarders, individuals come face to face with the reality of their problem through intervention and encouragement to clear out their stuff.
Our key verse comes from a story of three servants who were entrusted by their master with his money while he was away. The first two servants pleased their master by multiplying or showing growth of what they had been given. The third servant disappointed his master. He had hidden the money, keeping it safe but also keeping it from earning interest. In other words, he hoarded what his master had given him. Why did he hoard what he had been given?
Scripture gives us the answer. The servant was afraid. He was so consumed by his fear that he did nothing. He was afraid of messing up. He was paralyzed by the thought of doing something wrong or reflecting poorly on his master. In fear, he hid the money and then gave it back.
As I pondered the events of this story my mind drew a picture, a picture I did not like. In the picture I was bowing before my holy Lord, giving back exactly what He entrusted to me, nothing more. I questioned, Am I responding to my Master as this servant responded to his master? Have I fully used or am I fully using, even developing, the gifts and talents He has entrusted to me? Am I hiding what He gave me in fear of messing up?
What about you? How would you answer these questions? It is easy to think we are not good enough or that we are undeserving of God's gifts. Our negative thoughts take us captive, leading us to believe we would reflect poorly upon our Lord if we dared to multiply and grow what He has given us. Today's devotion is our intervention. Now is the time to clear out what we've been hoarding or hiding. Praise God our intervention is not dramatized in front of millions of people. We stand before an audience of One - the only One who matters.
Dear Lord, I apologize for hiding and hoarding anything tat You have given me. Help me be a good steward of everything You entrust to me. I want to be used to grow Your Kingdom. Supply the confidence I need to clean out my hiding places. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Shaped with a Purpose Workbook and companion CD by Renee Swope
Living Free In Christ CD by Wendy Pope
Visit Wendy’s blog – Experiencing the Real Meaning of Free
The Gift Giver offers more encouragement on God’s good gifts!
Application Steps:
In a quiet place, read Matthew 25:14-28.
Reflections:
How will I respond to my intervention?
Am I responding to my Master as this servant responded to his master?
Am I fully using, even developing, the gifts and talents God has entrusted to me?
Am I hiding what He gave me out of fear of messing up?
Power Verses:
Romans 12:6a, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." (NIV)
Colossians 3:23, "Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men…" (Amplified)
© 2010 by Wendy Pope. All rights reserved.
"I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back." Matthew 25:25 (NLT)
Reality shows are the craze today. You can watch children with problems set on the straight and narrow by The World's Strictest Parents. If you are not happy with your spouse, you can Wife Swap for another spouse while millions watch. The world is also even now invited into the private moments of drug and alcohol interventions.
One of the newest reality shows to hit the airwaves is called Hoarders. People on this show have made a lifestyle out of holding on to what they have. In Hoarders, individuals come face to face with the reality of their problem through intervention and encouragement to clear out their stuff.
Our key verse comes from a story of three servants who were entrusted by their master with his money while he was away. The first two servants pleased their master by multiplying or showing growth of what they had been given. The third servant disappointed his master. He had hidden the money, keeping it safe but also keeping it from earning interest. In other words, he hoarded what his master had given him. Why did he hoard what he had been given?
Scripture gives us the answer. The servant was afraid. He was so consumed by his fear that he did nothing. He was afraid of messing up. He was paralyzed by the thought of doing something wrong or reflecting poorly on his master. In fear, he hid the money and then gave it back.
As I pondered the events of this story my mind drew a picture, a picture I did not like. In the picture I was bowing before my holy Lord, giving back exactly what He entrusted to me, nothing more. I questioned, Am I responding to my Master as this servant responded to his master? Have I fully used or am I fully using, even developing, the gifts and talents He has entrusted to me? Am I hiding what He gave me in fear of messing up?
What about you? How would you answer these questions? It is easy to think we are not good enough or that we are undeserving of God's gifts. Our negative thoughts take us captive, leading us to believe we would reflect poorly upon our Lord if we dared to multiply and grow what He has given us. Today's devotion is our intervention. Now is the time to clear out what we've been hoarding or hiding. Praise God our intervention is not dramatized in front of millions of people. We stand before an audience of One - the only One who matters.
Dear Lord, I apologize for hiding and hoarding anything tat You have given me. Help me be a good steward of everything You entrust to me. I want to be used to grow Your Kingdom. Supply the confidence I need to clean out my hiding places. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Shaped with a Purpose Workbook and companion CD by Renee Swope
Living Free In Christ CD by Wendy Pope
Visit Wendy’s blog – Experiencing the Real Meaning of Free
The Gift Giver offers more encouragement on God’s good gifts!
Application Steps:
In a quiet place, read Matthew 25:14-28.
Reflections:
How will I respond to my intervention?
Am I responding to my Master as this servant responded to his master?
Am I fully using, even developing, the gifts and talents God has entrusted to me?
Am I hiding what He gave me out of fear of messing up?
Power Verses:
Romans 12:6a, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." (NIV)
Colossians 3:23, "Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men…" (Amplified)
© 2010 by Wendy Pope. All rights reserved.
Labels: God's Perspective, Overcoming Fear, Perseverance, Purity, Serving, Spiritual Growth, Trusting God, Walking in Faith
8 Comments:
Love this!!
I always related to the servant who just held the money afraid to lose it. Now I understand it in a different way. Thank you for turning on the lightbulb over my head.
:)
I had never looked at keeping God's gifts(financial or personal) as HOARDING before! I'm fascinated by the Hoarders show because I'm trying to start my own professional organizing business and I enjoy seeing the progress that can be made. However, I wouldn't have identified myself as one until now! Thanks for opening my eyes to my own hoarding tendencies. I pray that God will help me to make some changes in how I think and how I live. I want to use the resources He has blessed me with and not just sit on them!
wow and thanks
Wow! God Is So Good! Yesterday's Church service was Matthew 25! Investing Our Lives. God made a huge investment in us! God expects a return! God gives us Heavenly Rewards! Our fears ie, self-doubt,selfishness, etc. stop us from investing our gifts and talents. Awesome Devotion, Praise the Lord I am learning so much!
This hit home with me. I am so afraid sometimes, but I know He has given me gifts and I need to share them. This scripture says it all.
I love Proverbs 31 Ministries. I praise God for all the godly wisdom you ladies give us on a daily basis. I did want to share something about Wife Swap, however, because my dearest friend, who is also a mature Christian, was on that show. Wife Swap is not about husbands who are tired of their wives and "swap" for another one. Wife Swap is more about women who are polar opposites switching places and about family dynamics. My friend, Lydia Allison, did the show when she had her own etiquette business. Although she could have been made to seem prudish and old fashioned, she had a tremendous impact on the other family, the producers and those who watched the show. She helped bring order to a house that had no order. I am not a fan of Wife Swap, but it is not as bad as the name sounds. I say this respectfully, but we all need to "do our homework" carefully before writing about something.
Wow, I just read this passage of scripture the other day. I thought to myself, "am I really being useful to God or am I sitting on the gift he has given me?" Then today, I searched the web for a daily devotional and ran across this scripture again. What confirmation. Thank you so much.
supply the confidence i need to clean out my hiding places...in Jesus name..amen
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