Time, Tithe and Talents
It is hard to live a life “pleasing” to God ALL the time. You may have been able to conquer it in one area of your life, but no one can claim to be walking uprightly in all areas, consistently 24/7 & 365…I always say, “The last man to walk the earth without sin was Jesus Christ Himself. And, until He returns, man will struggle.” But, even in knowing that, we should not stop trying to achieve this goal. That is the reason we are here…to live a life pleasing to God and to fulfill the purpose God has placed in us.
We are not just here to enjoy pleasures, make money, have kids, entertain and be entertained, obtain possessions and than die. There is so much more for us to do that is just as enjoyable, exciting and expected of us. In whatever area of influence we have, we should become deliberate in our attempt to do right, say the right thing, and set the example for others. In doing so, we show God our willingness to be faithful and obedient to His word. And, God is a rewarder of good works and deeds…in return He will bless us in ways we can not even imagine.
Now, it is not just for you to think that being respectful to your boss, faithful to your spouse or significant other, treating your parents with respect, and being good stewards over your finance is it….although very important areas, there is so much more God seeks for us to do. Giving back our time, talent and treasures to the Kingdom, for Kingdom work to continue, is something that we must do…our life is not our own, just like our money and possessions are not our own…they are God’s and He requires us to live a self-less/sacrificial life.
If we give by way of tithing to the church….showing our commitment to God’s word and thanks to Him for our finances by bringing our tithes and offerings to the store house and in return God will pour out blessings we will not have room to receive (Malachi 3:10). If we give by way of our time to the church and, not just Sunday worship….but, involvement in activities and ministries, we are allowing God to speak to us in a way He has not been able to in the past and we are showing Him that we recognize that we have a responsibility to help in the Kingdom to bring lost souls to Him. If we give by way of our talents…allowing the special skills/talents God has placed in us to be used for Kingdom work…we are helping the Kingdom be the effective agent of change it is to be. And, we are showing God that He can trust us with more influence, more access and more success because we are not being selfish, but rather humble by the task/blessing.
So, as you can see, walking uprightly, being a “Christian” means a lot more then we care to admit. Besides living right….which is hard enough in itself and very important for our ultimate salvation, an equally greater responsibility is how we take the blessings we have been given (life, money, skills and influence) and give them back sacrificially through our time, talent and treasures.
We should all strive to do it. We were born to do it.
Walk in faith. Live in love.
Mo Wood
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