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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
has riches. He does not expect of the feeble and suffering the activity
and strength which the healthy man has. The one talent, used to the
best account, God will accept, “according to that a man hath, and
not according to that he hath not.”
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God calls us servants, which implies that we are employed by
Him to do a certain work and bear certain responsibilities. He has
lent us capital for investment. It is not
our
property, and we displease
God if we hoard up our Lord’s goods or spend them as we please.
We are responsible for the use or abuse of that which God has thus
lent us. If this capital which the Lord has placed in our hands lies
dormant, or we bury it in the earth, even if it is only one talent, we
shall be called to an account by the Master. He requires, not ours,
but His own with usury.
Every talent which returns to the Master will be scrutinized.
The doings and trusts of God’s servants will not be considered an
unimportant matter. Every individual will be dealt with personally
and will be required to give an account of the talents entrusted to him,
whether he has improved or abused them. The reward bestowed will
be proportionate to the improvement of the talents. The punishment
awarded will be according as the talents have been abused.
The inquiry of each one should be: What have I of my Lord’s,
and how shall I use it to His glory? “Occupy,” says Christ, “till
I come.” The heavenly Master is on His journey. Our gracious
opportunity is now. The talents are in our hands. Shall we use
them to God’s glory, or shall we abuse them? We may trade with
them today, but tomorrow our probation may end and our account
be forever fixed.
If our talents are invested for the salvation of our fellow men,
God will be glorified. Pride and position are made apologies for
extravagance, vain show, ambition, and profligate selfishness. The
Lord’s talents, lent to man as a precious blessing, will, if abused,
reflect upon him a terrible curse. Riches may be used by us to
advance the cause of God and to relieve the wants of the widow and
the fatherless. In so doing, we gather to ourselves rich blessings. Not
only shall we receive expressions of gratitude from the recipients
of our bounties, but the Lord Himself, who has placed the means in
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our hands for this very purpose, will make our souls like a watered
garden whose waters fail not. When the reaping time shall come,