Devotional by Lou Fuller

January 10, 2012
Mt 25:24-25 “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.”
I came to work last week, fresh from nearly 3 weeks of vacation and holiday time away. You’d have thought I’d be raring to go, eager to work, chomping at the bit for productive projects to tackle. You’d have been partially right, but mostly wrong.
During my time away, things happened that affected my company’s near term plans and direction, with particular impact on the things I thought I’d be doing upon returning to work. Many of my coworkers felt similar lack of direction, focus, and sense of immediate purpose. We felt like a cavalry riding rocking horses – lots of action, but no forward movement.
In the parable of the talents, Jesus describes three servants. All are given the same resources. Two use their resources to productive ends. One, fearing failure, buries his in the sand, preserving the original investment, but producing nothing. It’s clear which servants Jesus applauds.
Fear prevents us from taking risks, trying things, riding our horses into the unknown. We’re afraid of the consequences of failure. Will we get fired? Will our investments lose money? Will we lose prestige or that big promotion? I’ve always wondered what the master would have done with a risk taking servant whose investments failed. Would he have been thrown into a WORST outer darkness? The parable is silent on that front. Should we willingly risk loss in the hope of great gain? In business? In relationships? In doing church?
Our congregation is poised for great challenges, big changes, exciting and scary changes. Will you ride the rocking horse, essentially being a bystander, going nowhere? Or will you mount your charger, accept the risks, and ride into an exciting future with other people of God?
Lou Fuller

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