Responsibilities of the Man With One Talent
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the talents He has entrusted to them. God pity the do-nothings then!
Those who hear the welcome plaudit, “Well done, good and faithful
servant,” will have well done in the improvement of their abilities and
means to the glory of God.—
The Review and Herald, March 14, 1878
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Unimproved Talents
Some are willing to give according to what they have, and feel
that God has no further claims upon them, because they have not a
great amount of means. They have no income that they can spare from
the necessities of their families. But there are many of this class who
might ask themselves the question, Am I giving according to what I
might have had? God designed that their powers of body and mind
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should be put to use. Some have not improved to the best account
the ability that God has given them. Labor is apportioned to man. It
was connected with the curse, because made necessary by sin. The
physical, mental, and moral well-being of man makes a life of useful
labor necessary. “Be not slothful in business,” is the injunction of the
inspired apostle Paul.
No person, whether rich or poor, can glorify God by a life of
indolence. All the capital that many poor men have is time and physical
strength; and this is frequently wasted in love of ease and in careless
indolence, so that they have nothing to bring to their Lord in tithes
and in offerings. If Christian men lack wisdom to labor to the best
account, and to make a judicious appropriation of their physical and
mental powers, they should have meekness and lowliness of mind to
receive advice and counsel of their brethren, that their better judgment
may supply their own deficiencies. Many poor men who are now
content to do nothing for the good of their fellow men, and for the
advancement of the cause of God, might do much if they would. They
are as accountable to God for their capital of physical strength as is the
rich man for his capital of money.—
Testimonies for the Church 3:400
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Accountability for Physical Strength
I saw that those who have no property, but have strength of body,
are accountable to God for their strength. They should be diligent in
business and fervent in spirit; they should not leave those that have