FAITHFULNESS IS RISK!

Read:  Matthew 25:  24-30

 

Faithfulness is risk and risk is faithfulness.

 

I think we tend to think of faithfulness in maintenance terms. Faithfulness is holding the fort. Faithfulness is maintaining the status quo. Faithfulness is hanging on to what you have. And nothing could be further from the truth. Faithfulness is return on investment. Faithfulness is multiplying what you have to the best of your God-given ability. Faithfulness isn’t minimizing risk. Faithfulness is maximizing risk because maximizing risk is maximizing reward.

 

I’m concerned that too many of us have a savings mindset—we want to keep what we have. We’re playing not to lose. And the parable of the talents is all about an investment mindset—risking what you have to get more. It’s playing to win.

Verse 24-30

Then the man who had received the one talent came.

Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

These are some of the harshest words in the gospels, and the servant broke even. Evidently, breaking even isn’t good enough.

In the context of this parable, wickedness is burying your talent in the ground. The wicked servant was afraid that he might lose what he had.

Satan wants to put us in a play it safe, defensive posture. And he uses two primary tactics—fear and discouragement. He wants us to run away from fear, uncertainty, and risk. But Christ calls us to a life of risk. Satan would love nothing more than for our ultimate goal to be to play it safe.  Never take a risk.  Never step out! 

Let me encourage you to walk by faith, not by sight, not by what you feel, not by your emotions, but by faith!  Take a risk!  Step out of the boat!  Faithfulness is risk!