Are you Invested?

Today’s scripture: Matthew 25:14-18, 28-29

Living as a disciple is a lot like investing, there is risk involved. Unlike investing, we have a guaranteed return when we invest with God. Walking with Jesus can be uncomfortable at times, dangerous at others. We are always outside the norm when we serve others and when we share the gospel because our faith can only be proven in our soul and from the labor of our hands.

This passage is frustrating because many see it merely as approval for capitalism. But it is a much richer  text than merely about money. Each person has been gifted with natural talents and abilities which we often put to use in our labors and in our recreation. For instance; athletic or musical abilities are often exercised in our recreation while abilities with numbers, creative engineering, or crafting in building might become our vocation. We’re also given spiritual gifts; hospitality, prayer, healing, preaching, teaching, shepherding, to name a few and these gifts often go unused and unrecognized. Unused out of fear of being “different” or a little “weird” because we exercise our faith in unusual ways in a post-modern culture. Ignorance also plays a factor when we fail to learn about our gifts.

Discipleship and following Jesus is always a little risky because we might be embarrassed or someone might make fun of us and it might place us diametrically opposed to the prevailing culture or even government. Hearing and answering God’s call takes patience and courage. Are you listening? Have you said yes?