I spent some time today with a friend who took a bold step in faith this week. In the past year she has been making choices to change her life in ways she feels are important. This week she made the biggest choice yet. She walked away from a very lucrative job because she felt it was the thing to do for herself and her family. I am so proud of her I am about to burst.
She is doing her children a huge favor living life lessons right in front of them. They won't have to wonder where her priorities lie, she has shown them. She has shown them that the best choice is not always the easiest choice. They will in turn be more likely to take risks themselves. I know this to be true. I feel easier taking risks because my parents modeled walking in faith for me.
In a twist that could only come from a God with a huge sense of humor and His own timing, today's sermon was about Risking Uncertainty. The following was the scripture used.
Matthew 25: 19-30 English Standard Version
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.'
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? 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.
So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 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.
And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Something Doug said in the sermon really hit home with me.
"Evidently in God's economy breaking even isn't good enough.
In the context of this parable wickedness is burying your talent in the ground, wickedness is playing not to lose, wickedness is failing to take a risk.
Faithfulness is using what you have been given, even risking what you have been given to the best of your God given ability."
I am grateful for Doug's insight as the last few weeks have had me answering lots of questions about why I would leave circumstances which are financially bearable for something so uncertain. My answer continues to be that money should not be the driving force of our life. I have prayed about leaving my situation for two years and feel the need to step away from the easy choice. It is about learning to let go of things I cannot change and move on to where God wants me to be. My friend Mara now knows this well, she made the right choice, not the easy choice. I hope to do as well as she.
Risking my talent,
jené
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