The Parable of the Talents is the greatest illustration of stewardship.  After the Tuesday night study, I followed Kori's urging and read the parable.  One of the most striking aspects of story is the independence granted to each of the three servants.  When the master left, he did not write out word for word instructions on what was to be done with the money.  How then, you might ask, were they to know what to do with the talents entrusted to them?  Many of you might ask the same question of your spiritual gift.  After learning of your gift, it is God's will that you use it for his glory.  Many get anxious at this point and begin to worry about where or if God will use their gifts.  On this topic, there is much to glean from the parable in Mathew 25: 14-30.  Focusing in on the conversation between the Master and the 3rd servant, please read verses 24-30.  It is here that we read of the third servant’s failure and fear.  Reading the parable for the first time, many are confused by the cause of the master’s anger.  The reasoning for his outrage is rather simple: his servant did not heed his example.  The job of a servant is to please his master.  In order to accomplish this task, it is necessary for a servant to know the pleasures and routines of his employer.  Think about it: when your boss asks you to fetch him a cup of coffee, it is assumed that you know if he takes decaff or regular, sugar or splenda, a mocha or a frappuccino.  If your task was to bring your boss his favorite coffee, but instead you returned with his money and said, “Sorry, I couldn’t remember what you liked in your coffee, so I decided not to risk it”, how would your boss respond?  Similarly, the servant knew that his master desired profits and was looking to increase his wealth.  The master had set a clear example of how he expected money to be handled, so that there was no guesswork as to how the talent was to be used.  Despite this knowledge, the servant chose to bury what had been entrusted to him because he was paralyzed by fear. This fear prevented him from doing the will of the master and reaped negative consequence upon his head.  I encourage you that there is no reason to fear the use of your gift, for the Lord has entrusted the gift to you and has a plan for its use.  God desires for us to employ our gifts for the building up of the church, just as the master expected his servants to make use of his talents. Every day draws us closer to Christ return, making it paramount that we apply our gifts in a way that is first fitting to God and secondly beneficial to man.  

An act of love is often thought highly of in our society.  Actions speak louder than words, often implies that showing your love through deeds has more value than simply saying "I love you".  Why is there so much emphasis on proving love?  The world is not known for its honesty and many find it difficult to trust.  Without trust, it is constant proof is imperative.  Our society has taught girls to be wary of the boys who say "I love you".  Ulterior motives cause many to worry.  The boy may not actually love the girl, but might desire to get something from her and abuse her trust to obtain his own pleasure.  The trouble is, when we become Christians, we often bring in these old views of love.  This poses a challenge for Christians who think simply fulfilling the job associated with their gifts is an appropriate use of the gift.  How often do we have the "FINE, I guess I'll do it" attitude about our jobs? Taking this outlook does not reap the benefits of serving in love.  The love is not the action, it is the condition of the heart.  The visible proof can often found in the deed, but the love is not actually the deed. The world struggles intensely with this point because corruption disables unbelievers from experiencing true love.  It comes down to this, God's love for us is pure and untainted, demonstrated through action but not based on it.  We need to allow this love to overflow in and through us.  This sort of love is unmistakable.  The words of Kant have dictated the American view of love for nearly 200 years, but the foundation of true love is found in the Father.  It is this true love that we should all desire and implement in ministry.