My friend Marilyn Hammond has consistently made me and Mom cards. She has also crocheted lovely cross bookmarks and sent timely messages. Her talent for crafting is a tool used for the sake of others.

In the book of Matthew chapter twenty-five, Jesus speaks a parable concerning talents. A man traveled into a far country and called his own servants. He gave them his goods: to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one. He gave according to each man’s ability and then he traveled on.

In the lord’s absence, the servant with five talents invested and doubled his money. The servant with two talents did likewise, but the servant given one talent was slothful. He buried his money.

The lord returned to reckon with his servants. He commended those who doubled their talents with words of promise:

          …Well done, good, and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few

          things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of

          thy lord.  Matthew 25:21 and 23.     

In contrast, the lord of the servants rebuked the servant who buried his money:

          …Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I that I reap where

          I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

          Thou oughest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at

          My coming I should have received mine own with usury,

          Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

          Matthew 25:26-28

The wicked and slothful servant claimed fear hindered him and that his lord was a hard man to please. He felt the task impossible so he never strived to multiply his talents. His excuse did not hold and he was punished.

God gives us each ability to invest in kingdom work. In an act of disobedience we can bury our talents or in an act of obedience we can multiply them. We, believers, have many things to give: clothing, feeding, serving, giving, praying, loving, and witnessing are many “ings” in action when we serve our Lord.

Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is coming back soon. Failing to surrender to Jesus as Lord will end in being cast into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. These undesirable “ings” will last an eternity. Serving Jesus as Lord will be rewarded by living with joy in Jesus’ presence. That “ing” is everlasting.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matthew 25:46