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Talents Entrusted for Service, July 18
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one
of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is
given to us.
Romans 12:5, 6
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God has given to every man talents in trust. To every man He has given his
work. There can be no idlers in His vineyard. Each has most earnest, sacred,
solemn work to do for the Master. To everyone is committed some work to
do, and none are excused. The day of final account will come, when the Lord
reckons with His servants. The Chief Shepherd is Judge and illustrates the
great principles which are to regulate the proceedings of the reckoning with
His servants who are justified by faith, judged by their works. Faith works by
love and purifies the soul of moral defilement that it may become a temple
for the Lord.
The entrusted talents are not reserved for a favorite few who are exalted
above their fellow men in education, in smartness of intellect. The talents are
endowments bestowed upon the Lord’s family individually, from the lowliest
and most obscure to those who are in highest positions of trust. The entrusted
gifts are proportioned to our varied capabilities, and everyone is to use these
talents to God’s glory. He is to increase their usefulness because through
using them he becomes more and better qualified to trade on his Lord’s goods
and to accumulate by trading. The light of truth and all spiritual advantages
are the Lord’s gifts. They are to be appreciated and are to have influence
upon the mind and character. We are to return to God corresponding increase,
according to the gifts entrusted.
We have by grace been chosen as His servants. A servant means a worker,
one who bears cares, burdens, responsibilities.... We are to realize that it is
not our goods we are handling, but the Master’s entrusted capital for us to
invest and increase as wise stewards of our Lord’s goods, that we may return
to Him His investment with usury. We cannot hoard the Lord’s goods and do
nothing with it; thus did the slothful servant with his one pound, and lost his
soul. Every man has a solemn work to do and he cannot trifle with his time;
he cannot trifle with his privileges and his opportunities granted him. He must
improve in character, in ability, according to his privileges and opportunities,
to make a complete worker in the cause of God.—
Manuscript 81, July 18,
1893,
.
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