Good morning to all from Orlando, Florida. Thank you for your prayers of safe travels for Waine and I. Yesterday was a very eventful day and by the time I got to Orlando, the Kai-meister was asleep along with the Princess Hailee so I have to wait for a few more hours before I can hug up on these two wonderful people. Freddie and Tracy are well and in the throes of the preparation for Kai's birthday party; we left Freddie decorating Kai's cake as a Boom Box so that the Yo Gabba Gabba figures could be placed on it. Please continue to pray for ET and his family; he will have a biopsy on Monday. May God give him peace and quick healing, amen and amen.
I am continuing my journey in Matthew 25 verses 14-30, "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 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!' The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 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!' Then the man who had received the one talent 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. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 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? 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. 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Amen and amen.
I had to really think about this one because there are so many messages. Obviously, there was an underlying difference in the three servants as one was entrusted with 5 talents of money, the other 2 and the last 1 talent. I am sure that the one that had been entrusted with 5 talents had shown himself to be trustworthy in the past and therefore had been entrusted with more. The master knew that this servant would be wise and not squander the opportunity that had been given to him and the master was not disappointed. You know these kind of people; they are the Go-To people, the people who will get a job done well and increase the inherent value of any project, any company; these Go-To people understand the value of time and trust. When these kind of folk become Christians their kingdom building efforts are non-stop; their life becomes a kingdom building effort and it is like breathing air to them. Every minute is spent spreading the Gospel and Good News not with words but with the very essence of their being. These folk are continually blessed because they have an attitude of service to the principals of the Kingdom. They are always blessed with more by the Master because the Master knows that He can trust their hearts to be builders for Him. What does it take to be a five (5) talent person--attitude and perspective. These folk trust God for the increase and never worry about outcomes--they proceed as instructed and gain success in the process. These Go-To people "Just Do It" as instructed.
The two (2) talent people will also yield return. They may not be the Go-To people but they have an ability to facilitate the success of others and have a heart for it. They don't look over the fence to lament that they are not the five talent people, they are happy to be part of the team. The two talent people are industrious and will work hard for the good of the whole. You know these people; you see them in your churches and work places. They may not have as much as others but what they do have will always reap returns. They have a tender heart towards other and it shows. Whether a two talent or five talent person, a hallmark is their ability to follow instruction and stay on point until a project is finished. God uses both five talent and two talent folk all the time and loves them equally. You will have daily opportnities to be a five talent and 2 talent person!
Now then there are these one talent folk. These folk always worry about themselves and use what "might happen" as an excuse not to work or be productive. You know these folk. In the work place they always have excuses as to why they couldn't just follow the instructions of those that have been placed in charge of them. These are the folk that will blame a supervisor for their lack of success and the chief reason is always the fear of retribution. I had an example of the one talent person this week. She is very negative toward the organization for which she works and when called on the carpet her response was "well if I felt I was being collaborated with, then......" This one talent person will never get it because her focus is on SELF. We all have the capacity of being the one talent person when we are focused on SELF. We are to be SELF-LESS -- less self and more Christ will move you quickly out of the realm of the one talent folk. These are the folk that you find yourself saying "if you just followed my instructions all would have been well". These folk live their life worried about OUTCOMES and not PROCESS. These folk are the "world" and are the folk we, as Christians, have been charged to preach the Gospel to. At some point it will be too late for these one talent folk. In a secular connotations, their employers will grow tired of the daily hassle of having to plod and admonish them. When Christ comes after His church, these folk will be left behind.
These scriptures are for US to examine our lives. We can all become the 10 Talent Servants by changing our attitude. Truly in these scriptures, "Attitude determined Altitude". The one thing you have control over is the Attitude with which you approach your life today and forever. You also have control over your commitment of service to Kingdom building. You are the master of your attitude today--become the Ten Talent person you were created to be.
Be blessed.
Stephanie
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