DAILY MANNA - TUESDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2018

UNPROFITABLE SERVANT

TEXT: MATTHEW 25:14-30.

🔑KEY VERSE: "And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth"(MATTHEW 25:30).

Beginning with a lord who travels into a far country, the parable moves on to tell of how he leaves his servants with various amounts of resources to work with. No one is left without something to keep him busy while the master was away. Naturally, their lord expects good returns for his generous investment. Two of the men made judicious use of what was given them, while the third buried what was given to him. He buried himself as it were!

 It is worthy to know that the parable was presented towards the end of our Lord's ministry on earth. The allegory is correctly called the parable of the talents because what the Lord describes as "goods" were really talents or gifts, abilities and resources, which God has graciously given to everyone He created, including the sinner and the rebellious.

 The Lord expects the sinner and the backslider to apply the gifts of existence and their free will to respond to the gospel of salvation offered by Christ. He expects them to turn from sin, believe in Him and escape the wrath of God. Believers are also endowed with enormous resources to exploit and serve God. They have been blessed with physical energy, time, education, the living gospel, the sanctified Church, the Holy Ghost's power, modern Information Technology tools and so on. We must use these gifts to seek lost souls as we await the Lord's return.

 The diligent Christians must not be like the unprofitable servant. Rather, they should channel their skills in administration, music, writing, electricals and electronics, oration, mentorship, teaching, etc., towards bringing souls out of the pool of sin and edifying believers in the church of God. As stewards of all that the Lord has given, profit must be made in His service.

✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Don't be overprotective of your talents; use them for the kingdom of God.   

COVER TO COVER: MARK 13.