On this snowy day that is now turning into a light rain, I am listening to the book of I Peter as I work here.
The following verse caught my attention:
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
~ I Peter 1:10
I suppose it caught my attention because some of my first thoughts this morning were about the parable of the talents, and thinking about how we use our giftings and the challenges that surround that.
- I think about those that risk, and those who shrink back from any risk and who bury their talents, expecting God to be like a harsh person who reaps where he has not sown, with unreasonable expectations.
- I also think about those who are fearful or even too thrifty and don’t understand risks others take in using their giftings.
- And I especially think of risk-takers who are often not well-understood, and sometimes by the very recipients of the blessings they receive from someone else’s risks taken in order to use their God-given talents.
Expectations within the context of the body of Christ can be challenging.
I think of many stories over the years where within my home-based art business, I saw clashes of expectations in the context of my products and services.
I think of times I have consistently gone the extra mile in a number of ways and one or two (maybe more) memorable encounters with Christian customers (specifically) that left me in a position of personal quandary that was beyond the scope of the costs (especially the emotional costs) that I work into my products and services!
I think of thriftiness vs. generosity, and when one person’s thriftiness or generosity comes up against another’s.
I ponder sometimes whether well-meaning Christians can be too thrifty. I’m sure a Google search will bring up articles on both sides of these issues. I’m a thrifty person in many, many things. But in other things, I attempt to live and give quite generously. Generosity is a heart matter, and isn’t specifically monetary.
We can be generous to others in a number of ways that go far beyond monetary support, and in fact, these are often the most valuable things when we give of our time, our care and concern, and our gifts.
Yet, we also all must navigate the plethora of very real material needs within our own realms and connections, that call on us to make responsive decisions.
The scriptures are a bottomless source of contemplation, guidance and life-giving messages.
I continue to hope that I will promptly receive the full funding that is necessary for my Bible-Comes-Alive Educational Mural Project, this very weekend. The body of Christ collectively is capable of great strength, and is called to consider how we are to use our individual and collective talents and resources for the good of all.
I have continued in diligence and thinking toward solutions that will not only help me to survive my own struggles, but at the same time will be life-giving opportunities for others to participate in. As I understand the scriptures, I am doing all that is within my power to live out my calling. The rest is in the hands of God, and His people.
http://spot.fund/BibleComesAliveMural
I invite you to reach out to me by phone (302-463-5459) or email: eileenslifer@lettersource.com if you have questions about this mural campaign that I might better answer! Thank you for your generosity in considering a very small pledge of $5-$10 to bring this to its fruition.
The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 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.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 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.’ 23 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.’ 24 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, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 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? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
