Faithfulness in Stewardship: Making Our Talents Count
Summary
In our journey through life, we are all driven by a desire for significance, a yearning to make a meaningful impact. This is not about egotism but about fulfilling the purpose for which we were created. As we reflect on the teachings of Dallas Willard and the biblical narrative, we are reminded that all of creation is inherently good. The beauty and majesty of the world around us testify to the goodness of being itself. Despite the pain and suffering that exist, the joy and strength found in life affirm that creation is good.
God created human beings in His image, entrusting us with the responsibility to care for the earth and all its inhabitants. This divine assignment calls us to be stewards of creation, a task that continues to this day. The parable of the talents, as told by Jesus, illustrates the importance of using what we have been given. Each servant was entrusted with talents, and their actions upon the master's return revealed their faithfulness. The number of talents was not the focus; rather, it was what they did with what they had that mattered.
In the kingdom of God, it is not about how many talents we possess but how we use them. The world often values those with more talents, but God values faithfulness with what we have. The story of the widow's mite further emphasizes this truth. Her small offering was praised by Jesus because it was given with trust and courage, despite her limited means.
We are called to trust God with what we have, whether it is a gift, a calling, or an experience. This trust is not about doing grand things but about being faithful in the everyday moments of life. It is about using our experiences, even those that are painful, to bless others. As we take inventory of what God has given us, we are invited to make today count by using our talents to serve and bless those around us.
Key Takeaways:
- Our drive for significance is a reflection of our purpose to make an impact in the world. This is not about ego but about fulfilling the divine assignment to care for creation and each other. [00:28]
- The parable of the talents teaches us that it is not the quantity of what we have that matters, but our faithfulness in using it. God values our efforts to invest and grow what we have been given. [04:30]
- The widow's mite exemplifies the power of trust and courage in giving. Her small offering was significant because it was given with a heart full of faith, demonstrating that true value is not measured by size but by sacrifice. [08:04]
- Trusting God with our talents involves recognizing that our experiences, even painful ones, can be used to bless others. Our struggles can become gifts when we allow God to work through them. [11:22]
- Taking inventory of what we have been given allows us to see opportunities to serve and bless others. By trusting God and using our talents, we can make each day count and fulfill our purpose. [11:47]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:28] - Created for Significance
[00:52] - The Goodness of Creation
[02:18] - Human Responsibility
[03:14] - The Charge to Humankind
[03:29] - The Parable of the Talents
[04:30] - Understanding the Variables
[05:46] - Worldly vs. Kingdom Values
[06:30] - Personal Reflection on Talents
[07:12] - Overcoming Fear and Anxiety
[08:04] - The Widow's Mite
[08:57] - Trusting God with Our Talents
[10:07] - A Parable of a Cup
[11:22] - Using Our Experiences
[11:47] - Making Today Count
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 1:26-28 - "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'"
2. Matthew 25:14-30 - The Parable of the Talents
3. Mark 12:41-44 - The Widow's Offering
Observation Questions:
1. According to Genesis 1:26-28, what responsibilities were given to human beings at creation?
2. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), what actions did the servants take with the talents they were given, and what were the outcomes for each servant? [04:30]
3. How does the story of the widow's offering in Mark 12:41-44 illustrate the concept of giving with trust and courage? [08:04]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the world's view of significance compared to God's view? [06:06]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of being created in God's image (Genesis 1:26-28) influence our understanding of our purpose and responsibilities in the world?
2. What does the Parable of the Talents teach about the importance of faithfulness over the quantity of resources or abilities one possesses? [05:09]
3. How does the widow's offering challenge common perceptions of value and sacrifice in giving? [08:04]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our personal experiences, even painful ones, can be used to bless others? [11:22]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: What talents or gifts do you believe God has entrusted to you? How are you currently using them to serve others? [11:47]
2. Consider a time when you felt insignificant or lacking in talents. How can the story of the widow's mite encourage you to trust God with what you have, no matter how small it seems? [08:04]
3. Identify an area in your life where you might be "burying" your talents out of fear or anxiety. What steps can you take to overcome this and invest in what God has given you? [07:12]
4. Think about a painful experience you have gone through. How might God be calling you to use that experience to help or bless someone else? [11:22]
5. How can you take inventory of your life today to recognize opportunities to serve and bless others? What is one specific action you can take this week to make today count? [11:47]
6. In what ways can you shift your focus from seeking significance in the eyes of the world to seeking faithfulness in the eyes of God? [06:06]
7. How can you cultivate a heart of trust and courage in your giving, similar to the widow's example? What practical steps can you take to give sacrificially this week? [08:04]
Devotional
Day 1: Significance Through Purposeful Impact
Our drive for significance is a reflection of our purpose to make an impact in the world. This is not about ego but about fulfilling the divine assignment to care for creation and each other. The desire to be significant is deeply rooted in our creation in God's image, which calls us to steward the earth and its inhabitants. This stewardship is not just a task but a divine calling that gives our lives meaning and direction. As we engage with the world, we are invited to see our actions as part of a larger narrative of care and responsibility. [00:28]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)
Reflection: What specific action can you take today to care for a part of creation or a person in your life, reflecting your divine purpose?
Day 2: Faithfulness Over Quantity
The parable of the talents teaches us that it is not the quantity of what we have that matters, but our faithfulness in using it. God values our efforts to invest and grow what we have been given. In a world that often measures success by accumulation and abundance, the kingdom of God offers a different perspective. It is not about how much we have but how we use what we have. The parable challenges us to be faithful stewards, investing our talents, time, and resources in ways that honor God and serve others. [04:30]
"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." (Luke 16:10, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one talent or resource you have been given. How can you use it faithfully today to serve others or honor God?
Day 3: The Power of Trust and Courage in Giving
The widow's mite exemplifies the power of trust and courage in giving. Her small offering was significant because it was given with a heart full of faith, demonstrating that true value is not measured by size but by sacrifice. This story reminds us that God sees the heart behind the gift, not just the gift itself. It challenges us to give not out of abundance but out of trust, knowing that God values the courage it takes to give sacrificially. [08:04]
"And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny." (Mark 12:41-42, ESV)
Reflection: What is one small but meaningful way you can give today, trusting God with the outcome?
Day 4: Transforming Struggles into Blessings
Trusting God with our talents involves recognizing that our experiences, even painful ones, can be used to bless others. Our struggles can become gifts when we allow God to work through them. This perspective invites us to see our lives as a tapestry where even the dark threads contribute to the overall beauty. By trusting God with our pain, we open ourselves to the possibility of transformation, where our wounds become sources of healing and blessing for others. [11:22]
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a personal struggle you have faced. How might God use this experience to bless someone else today?
Day 5: Making Each Day Count
Taking inventory of what we have been given allows us to see opportunities to serve and bless others. By trusting God and using our talents, we can make each day count and fulfill our purpose. This involves a daily commitment to recognize and utilize the gifts, experiences, and opportunities God has placed in our lives. It is an invitation to live intentionally, seeking to make a difference in the lives of those around us by being faithful stewards of what we have been entrusted with. [11:47]
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific way you can use your talents or resources today to make a meaningful impact in someone else's life?
Quotes
"everybody was created with a drive to significance and that's not the same thing as egotism um we want to have an impact we're both 380 grams so that can get out of control a little bit especially for you especially for you um but uh it's actually a good thing so i'm gonna read a little bit from this book by dallas willard" [00:28:16]
"all of creation is good in genesis over and over again you see that little word good good good uh and then he he writes about how i find myself agreeing with the writer it's all good the sun is good the moon is good dry land was a great idea um think about beauty majesty variety the creatures god made notice the way we're drawn to go see them at zoos and aquariums" [00:56:84]
"god said let us make man in our image according to our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over cattle god put human beings in charge of the earth and here it is that is we are to be responsible for the earth and life upon it it is an assignment that we are still working on today" [02:15:92]
"the charge to humankind was to rule the earth for good and it was good that it should be so so that is why we're here and then i was thinking in particular one of the parables that jesus talked about so i thought we could talk about that a little bit um as as you think about how you are made to count" [03:16:08]
"he told the story it's in a couple different gospels of um how a master went away and had three servants and he gave to each of them um talents we have to get our word talent from talent wow albert einstein over [Laughter] no i can't say no i'm thinking of several words and gestures and all of them are forbidden to me so i'll just plunge right ahead" [03:31:28]
"the five talent person invested them made ten uh the two teleperson investment made four all together the one talent person buried them in the field and i remember reading a long time ago when jesus tells parables um you look at what are the constants with each character and what are the variables because the hinge point is the variable" [04:17:60]
"the person who then makes five is commended and the person who makes two is commended in just the same way and i think it's kind of interesting that it was the one talent person who buried his in the earth and uh you know we're talking about the idea that we're made to count in this world apart from god very often the people who count are the five talent people" [05:13:60]
"the only question god will ask of you is, what did you do with what you were given he will not ask you what did you do with what you were not given um not why weren't you like somebody else just what did you do with what you uh were given so how do you think about that as you think about your life and your talents what it is that you were given" [06:20:80]
"i think about um you know jesus watching the widow put her last two coins into that box in the temple and um the way that he praised her with every you know like in the highest form and that she she gave more she gave the most and she had so little i mean to kind of the paradox that you were talking about" [07:51:68]
"i think about that and i think about the ways that she had to um trust and be brave to give what she did yeah and so i think sometimes in churches especially this parable can kind of be like you know let your light shine before all men like be bold do big things come to the church with the big platform" [08:04:82]
"what it means is that we get to trust god with what we have and so i think of like going through a season of a couple of miscarriages and feeling really scared to try again to be pregnant and scared the whole time i was with my son that he would something bad would happen to him um i think about you know work and um a job that i took that i have now" [08:57:44]
"today do a little inventory right now what have you been given um and it could look positive or it could look painful and difficult could be an experience and what can you do with that what is one way that you can use what god has given to you where you trust him and try to bless somebody else with it make today count" [11:47:36]
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