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No Crowns For The Timid
Matthew 25:25-28 '[The man who had received one talent said,] "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! … 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."' (NIV)
 Timidity is neither fitting nor normal for a Christian. The tragedy of the story of the talents is that one man was robbed of his destiny – and his eternal reward – not by his lack of ability, for he didn't even bother to test it out! He was robbed by his refusal to take a risk with what he had. Friend, there are no crowns laid up in heaven for the timid. If we don't believe that we know more about the truth than our unsaved friends, we'll never share Jesus effectively. If we don't believe that Christians have a better life than others, we'll never have anything to offer that people don't already have. If we don't believe that we have something to teach others, we'll never show them the benefits of our faith. If we don't believe that we are somebody, we'll never accept God's promises for us. If we don't believe that anyone cares about us, we'll never receive salvation, because it is based on God's love. If we're worried about people laughing at us, we'll never be bold or effective in sharing the gospel. There's only one way to extend your influence in this world – that's by stepping out and creatively investing what you already have.
Prayer: 'Lord Jesus, please help me to keep investing what I have even when I feel that it's not enough to get the job done. Help me to trust in the ability you've given me, and the power you've invested in me. Help me never to succumb to the power of a timid mind.'
© 2003-2004 Mal Fletcher
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