To Whom Much Is Given

Rev. Richard Smith

          As I noted in my sharing on discipleship on January 10, Jesus never apologies for placing before us the demands of choosing to be his followers.  So, it comes as no surprise to any of us that these words from Jesus recorded in Luke 12 would call forth a spiritual resolve. As we have been blessed, we should be willing to be vessels of blessings to others.

          Now, unquestionably, this passage has tended to be put forth when it comes to those who have been blessed materialistically; as each of us reading this blog has.  There’s no equivocating that the greater the material blessings we have, then the more sincerely generous we should be in sharing our resources.  To whom much is given much is required. Obviously, not enough Christians fulfil this expectation or the resources for those in need in our communities and in our world would be far more available.

          There is, however, another important insight imbedded here. It’s not just financial resources which we need to view as a springboard for generosity; it’s also our talents, our time, our knowledge. Each of us has some talent, some capability which can be offered as a resource for helping others. Each of us has some distinct experience which can make a difference somewhere somehow.  Each of us has gained some level of knowledge which when shared can help someone or some organization make fruitful decisions.

The beauty of this mindset is that we each have something to offer for the Kingdom. Whatever our social or financial or educational status, none of us are bereft of “gifts” which can both glorify God and benefit others. There’s no sense in comparing ourselves with others as to what we can or cannot do, what we do or do not have to offer; what’s important is that we discern that which is our blessing, our God-given gift, our needed acts of faithfulness.

I will never forget the elderly homebound church member in my first pastoral appointment in Mineral Wells, Mississippi, who asked me to visit her to help her prayerfully determine what she could do as a thank-you to God and as a gift of time for our church.  She was in a wheelchair, had limited opportunity to be out and about, and, again, was in her latter years.  After spending some time with her, I realized she had this wonderful winsome spirit which came through when you talked with her. I was seeking to strengthen our church’s ministry to those unable to get out often and her invitation to do something for God and the Church was a bridge to a new and encouraging ministry.  She agreed to use her wonderful spirit and her gregarious nature to lift the spirits of others by regular phone calls. These calls would go to other homebound members; to those recently home from the hospital; to new mothers who might welcome some sage advice; etc.  In the end, she was blessed; many others were touched; God was honored; and our Church had a truly encouraging ministry.

So, where are we in our discernment? Does our monetary generosity reveal recognition of the “to whom much has been given” heart? Have we discerned the specific “gifts”, experiences, and knowledge that should be offered and can make a great difference? 

In the end, we each can glorify God and help others simply by faithfully sharing what is inherent in our particular life journey and our particular life happenings!!