GOOD AND PLENTY PART 1

IN THE BIBLE THERE IS A FAMILIAR STORY ABOUT THESE THREE FELLA'S WHO WERE GIVEN TALENTS. ONE OF THEM WERE GIVEN 5, THE OTHER 2, AND THE OTHER ONLY 1. OF COURSE YOU KNOW HOW THE REST OF THE STORY GOES. WHEN THE LORD CAME BACK TO SEE HOW HIS INVESTMENT WAS GOING THE ONE WITH 5 HAD GAINED 5 MORE, THE INDIVIDUAL WITH 2 HAD GAINED 2 MORE, AND THE PERSON WITH 1 HID HIS TALENT IN THE EARTH AND DIDN'T EVEN HAVE WHAT HE WAS GIVEN, YET ALONE ADDING ANYTHING TO IT. THIS LAST MAN WAS CONSIDERED AS A WICKED AND SLOTHFUL SERVANT.

MOST OF THE TIME WHEN WE READ THESE STORIES IN THE BIBLE WE READ IT WITH A SENSE OF FAMILIARITY. WE OFTEN HAVE HEARD IT SO MUCH THAT WE ALREADY CAN ASSUME THE CONCLUSION AND MESSAGE IN THE STORY. HOWEVER MOST OF THE TIME WE ARE DRAWN MORE TO OUR PERCEIVED MEANING OF THE STORY VERSES THE ACUTAL RELIVANCE OF THE STORY IN OUR LIVES. IN OTHER WORDS WE NEVER SEE HOW OFTEN TIMES MANY OF US ARE LIVING EXAMPLES OF THIS STORY. I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT.

I REMEMBER ONCE AND A YOUNG TEENAGE BOY WATCHING BRIAN MCKNIGHT ON T.V. SINGING AND PLAYING ONE OF HIS SONGS LIVE. I WAS SO AMAZED WITH HIS ABILITY AND SKILL. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT I BEGIN TO COMPARE HIS ABILITY TO MY ABILITY. OBVIOUSLY I FELL SHORT. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT I ALLOWED SELF PITY, INSECURITY, FEAR AND SELFISHNESS TO INFULTRATE MY HEART AND CAUSE ME TO WANT TO QUIT. I HAD LITERALLY SAID IN MY HEART THAT SINCE I HAD ONLY "THIS MUCH" ABILITY AND HE HAS SO MUCH MORE I'M JUST GOING TO BURY MINE AND DO NOTHING WITH IT.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR MANY YEARS THAT SAME ATTITUDE FOLLOWED ME. ALWAYS COMPARING MYSELF TO SOMEONE ELSE AND ALLOWING WHAT THEY HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT I DO WITH WHAT I HAVE. THROUGHOUT MY LIFE I WOULD SAY, "SINCE I CAN'T SING THAT GOOD GOD, I JUST DON'T WANT TO SING AT ALL." OR "SINCE I CAN'T PLAY THE PIANO THAT WELL GOD I JUST DON'T WANT TO PLAY AT ALL." OBVIOUSLY THIS IS THE WRONG ATTITUDE TO HAVE. FORTUNATELY I HAD PARENTS AND PEOPLE AROUND ME WHO WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO QUIT LIKE I WANTED TO.

GOD IS NOT CONCERNED WITH HOW MUCH YOU START WITH BECAUSE HE GAVE YOU WHAT YOU HAVE RATHER HE IS CONCERNED WITH WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. HAVE YOU MADE PROGRESS WITH WHAT GOD GAVE YOU? HAVE YOU PRODUCE FRUIT OUT OF THE SEEDS THAT HE HAS PLANTED IN YOUR LIFE; OR HAVE YOU WICKEDLY BEEN MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE AND BURIED YOUR ABILITIES IN THE EARTH. IF THAT IS THE CASE THEN YOU'LL END UP JUST LIKE THAT, BURIED WITH NOTHING.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THE GREATEST SINGER IN THE WORLD TO BE A GREAT SOPRANO IN THE CHOIR. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THE GREATEST SPEAKER IN THE WORLD TO TESTIFY OF THE GOODNESS AND THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THE RICHEST PERSON IN THE WORLD TO BE RICH IN GIVING. AT THE END OF THE DAY ALL GOD WANTS YOU TO DO IS TO TAKE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE AND PRODUCE MORE OUT OF IT.

IF GOD GAVE YOU 1 TALENT HE DOESN'T ALWAYS EXPECT TEN BACK BUT HE DOES EXPECT YOU TO GIVE HIM MORE. SO STOP SAYING THAT WHAT YOU HAVE IS NOT ENOUGH. THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE. WHAT YOU HAVE IS GOOD AND PLENTY ENOUGH TO MAKE MORE. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO BE A GOOD STEWARD OVER WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.

GOD BLESS YOU,