Are you satisfied with your accomplishments?

Are you satisfied with your accomplishments?

Of course it depends upon what type of successes we are speaking about.  An athlete who has reached the highest level in their chosen sport, or an artist that is able to exude their talents that pleases the rest of us.  As each one reaches their level of expending the graces that God has handed them we must realize that for every hint of ability we receive a relative amount of accountability will be required.

Jesus was very emphatic about using the gifts anyone received and is expected to turn it into an accomplishment that the giver will gain recognition for their generosity.  The best example is from the stories Jesus uses to bring this accountable thought to fruition:  “It will be as a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.  To one he gave five talents;  to another two;  to a third, one.  Then he went away.  Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them and made another five.  Likewise, the one who received two made another two.  But the man who received one went off and dug a hole and buried his master’s money.  After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.”  (Mt 25” 14 - 19).  

The rest of this parable is familiar with most people.  Great joy and acclimation was given to the two servants who invested the talents given them.  The servant who buried even a small talent was punished for not using this insignificant gift for the benefit of others.  Perhaps his manner of looking down on this gift fits many people of our selfish society today.  Will our knowledge of the giftedness we have make a difference when settling accounts with God and have a devastating effect on our judgment?  The answer is an astounding yes.  

As written before, we are given specific talents according to the abilities all of us are able to use for the kingdom.  Remember God uses the voices, hands, and promotion abilities of his human creatures to advance the beauty of his kingdom, made for those of us he calls his children  Our gifts are not to be held as a personal attribute where nobody can see them.  Investing our talents and gaining more for each other is the prime reason for these gifts. 

We shall all be asked to show an accounting for the responsibilities we were given.  This is the judgment we must answer before Christ at our final judgment.   How embarrassing it will be if we cannot hold our heads high and say yes I invested the five you gave me and earned another five or five hundred to give back to you, O Lord.  The return on our efforts will be more than we can believe.  It will be honored for our belief and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity of which he is one. 

Satisfaction will be measured by what we measure out to others through our investment in God's people with our giftedness.

Ralph B. Hathaway