"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'" - Matthew 25:19-20
If you are a "The Cup Is Half Empty" person, then you would say, "If you don't use it, you lose it." And that perspective is indeed a part of the parable in today's verse.
However, I prefer "The Cup Is Half Full" outlook, which leads you to say, "When you use it, you get more." And that perspective is the part of the parable that is today's verse, 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
One of the classes we've done a number of times at church is studying Arthur Burk's Biblical study of the redemptive spiritual gifts. (Google it! It's fascinating stuff.) One of the primary truths about spiritual gifts that Burk points out is "When you use it, you get more." Specifically, when you use the primary spiritual gift that God's given you, you get more spiritual gifts from God.
I'll let you explore that spiritual gifts application more on your own.
What I want to close with is another application of the "When you use it, you get more" principle, which applies both to the use of God-given gifts and also to Veterans Day.
Veterans have a special God-given gift, namely, a courage and conscious willingness to stand in harm's way for the sake of other people, and not only for the sake of other people, but also for the benefit of other people. In other words, "When they use it (their gift), we get more."
It is because of Veterans using their God-given gift that I had the freedom to assemble (with other Christians) on Sunday.
It is because of Veterans using their God-given gift that I had the freedom to practice my religion (with those other Christians) on Sunday.
It is because of Veterans using their God-given gift that I have the freedom to speak (from a pulpit to those other Christians) on Sundays.
It is because of Veterans using their God-given gift that I had the freedom to vote in the election for the President of The United States of America.
It is because of Veterans using their God-given gift that I have the freedom now to publicly talk about the President and the President-elect and also publicly pray for both of them too.
And so on. And so on. And so on.
I'm not exaggerating to say that every single day I thank God for the only two people who have died for me: the American soldier who died for my earthly freedoms in this great land and the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who died for my spiritual freedom in the kingdom of heaven that we have even now through a simple faith relationship with Jesus Christ.
Thank a Veteran today.
And tomorrow.
And as often as you can.
"When they use their talents, we get more."
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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