By Contributing Writer, Kelly Crawford
What mammoth living we would do if we truly remembered, in the moments of the day, that nothing belongs to us, but is on loan? Our children, our husbands, our gifts, our time–everything.
As I read the story of the “talents” (Matthew 25) to my children yesterday, we talked about the implications for this popular story, meant to impart a deep understanding of God’s Kingdom.
Surprising to me, are all the applications this story has in our lives. The story is about investment. Not an investment of our things–time, money, energy, gifts–but investment with the Master’s time, money energy or gifts. That was the most important part of the story. The “talents” were on loan.
But hasn’t it always been this way? Isn’t the earth the Lord’s, and all that is in it? And in the garden, the dominion mandate was set in motion and still continues for us. The mandate, just like the story, was this: “Here are my good gifts to you. They are yours on loan. How will you invest, tend and increase what I give you until My return?”
When my children are rubbing me like sandpaper, isn’t it easy to just want to “make it stop”? For my sake? But I’m not raising children for my sake. They are His, and I am awaiting His pronouncement on my investment in these gifts He has given me. Sobering.
When I want to whine about serving my husband, or try to do semantic gymnastics to protest that I don’t have to serve him at all, I am treating him like a personal possession. If the Lord gives me the gift of a husband, I owe it to Him to invest in that husband as He has asked me to. If my intention is to serve the Lord, there is no offense in serving my spouse.
How much I want to hear, “Well done!” What will we do with His gifts? With life? He’s not so impressed with burying things; but investment…that’s the stuff that keeps living even after we are gone.
When we lost our house, cars and possessions last year in a tornado, it felt personal. But standing back, I was able to exhale and say, “It is well with my soul“. Not because I’m super-spiritual; but because I relinquished ”my” belongings and forced my heart to remember it all belongs to Him.
Let us live as those who understand the privilege of investing ourselves into the gifts we’ve been given.
Such is true dominion.
About Kelly Crawford
Ah, I love that term “investment”! Such a great reminder of Who this life, our spouse, and our children belong to. We are stewards. Thanks!
I loved this post. Yes, it is all on loan from God, and we will give an accounting. Keeps me on my toes.
Great post, wonderful reminder. Why IS it so hard to keep this in mind??!
Very convicting post, especially the part about serving our husbands. I need frequent reminders that my serving him should not be just when he’s at home. He’s got goals for our household, and I should be about the business of helping him meet those goals, whether he’s home or not. My time in his absence (or his presence) is not my own to do as I please.
“Semantic gymnastics”…hmmm, a very apt and vivid description of what I do too often when I’ve failed to serve as I should. Methinks you have a hidden camera in my house
Thank you, Kelly…I need this admonition today!