What Can I Do?
Matthew 25:14-30
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
“Then the man who had received one bag of gold 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 gold 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.
“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
Mary Sue was a little old church lady. Of course, she wasn’t always a little old church lady. But now she was 93 years old. When she was younger, she served on the Altar Guild, she played organ, she made sure post-funeral dinners were all put together. But she hadn’t done anything like that in almost 30 years. She enjoyed her retirement from those things, still finding other ways to serve. But now, at 93, she rarely left her nursing home. The pastor visited here twice a month to bring her God's Word and Communion. One time she asked her pastor, “What can I do? I’m too old to serve the way I used to.”
Bobby loved to work with his hands. He was really good it at. That is, before the accident. Now, he could hardly lift a hammer without intense pain. He used to love doing work around the church. But now at just 48 years old, he was already a fragile old man. One day, he walked into his pastor’s office and asked, “Pastor, what can I do?”
Suzy was a single mom of two. Her husband left her right after her second daughter was born. She struggled to get her daughters to school and still make it to her first job on time. Then, it was back to school for pick up and off her to the night shift at her second job. She’d found a church where she heard all about what Jesus had done for her. She wanted to be able to serve him. But she was so busy. What could she do?
What can you do? Maybe you can’t serve Jesus the ways you used to for any number of reasons. You’re not as strong as you used to be. You can’t hear as well. Your life has gotten busier and busier. You’re afraid to go to church because of the ongoing pandemic.
Notice what the master in Jesus’ parable says to the two faithful servants. “You have been faithful with a few things.” The master doesn’t expect his servants to be the best servants ever. He’s not expecting them to work miracles with the money they were given. He’s only expecting faithfulness springing from respect and trust in their master.
In our walk with Jesus, our faithfulness springs from the faith the Holy Spirit has given to us. When God shows us all he’s done through his Son, this creates in us a desire to serve. A desire to be faithful in service to him. He doesn’t expect miracles from us. He’s not expecting world-changing acts of service. He’s not even expecting all our service to happen at 4412 Legacy Drive. What he wants is for us to use the gifts he’s given us out of love and thankfulness to him.
At times, we may feel like the third servant in this parable. Not only not using our gifts for God, but even deservingly called lazy servants. But if you compare yourself and this servant, you’ll see a great difference. The lazy servant didn’t trust his master. He didn’t respect him. He himself says, “I was afraid.” But we have a different relationship with God. He has forgiven our distrust and disrespect. Through Jesus he has forgiven our lack of love for him. He has removed from us our hearts of stone and given us hearts of flesh. He even forgives you for being lazy in your service.
So, what can you do? Have your abilities changed? Has your availability changed? Reexamine what gifts God has given you. See if there are any that once lay hidden while you used your other talents that can now show forth out of love for your Savior. Consider your present circumstances and how God still gives you opportunities to use your talents. Remember the gifts he’s given you by faith: prayer for yourself and others, an encouraging word of truth from his Word, help no matter how big or how little. God has given you charge over a few things. He will faithfully lead you to faithfulness to him.