“And
no one having lighted a lamp covers it with a vessel or puts it under a couch,
but sets it on a lamp-stand, that they who enter in may see the light. For
there is nothing hid which shall not become manifest, nor secret which shall
not be known and come to light. Take heed therefore how ye hear; for whosoever
has, to him shall be given, and whosoever has not, even what he seems to have
shall be taken from him. [Luke 8:16-18, Darby Translation]
One of my responsibilities as President of Charlotte
Christian College and Theological Seminary is to lead the annual Graduation
Exercise. This year Tiffany McBee, one of our honor graduates, had been
selected to speak briefly. She stood before the esteemed assembly and led
everyone in the preschool chorus “This
Little Light of Mine.” During her seminary training, she had grasped the
truth of Luke 8:16-18. She understood that ministers of the Gospel and
parishioners who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, are each
committed to letting their light shine for Jesus.
Every Christian is blessed with talents, time, and resources,
and one or more spiritual gifts to help advance the Kingdom. Jesus does not
intend that we hide our talents, time, and resources, nor our spiritual gifts.
We are to use them to affect the Lord’s kingdom. The only Christians without
spiritual gifts are those who have refused to use their gifts for the kingdom for
so long that the Lord has taken them away. This is what we are being taught in
this passage. If we do not use our spiritual gifts, the Lord will take them
from us and give them to another person who will use them. How sad to know that
the Lord gave you access to a precious gift and you did not use it to influence
the Kingdom of God in a constructive manner!
I sat in the home of an elderly man making a pastoral visit.
He looked at me and asked, “Pastor, do you know my biggest regret?” He went on
to explain that God had called and gifted him as a teenager to preach the
Gospel, but he had other plans. After a stroke in his mid-sixties, he tried to
follow that long lost calling, but his body and mind no longer had the strength
or ability. He knew that in the judgment, he would be asked to explain why he
had not obeyed, why he had not used his spiritual gift, and he knew there was
no answer to justify his disobedience. This was his biggest regret. You see, we
cannot always put off serving Jesus until a more convenient time, for Jesus may
take the gift, talent, and resources and lend it to another.
The spiritual gifts the Lord gives us in secret must be used
in public or the Lord will take them away from us. Then one day, we will each
stand accountable to our Lord for the gifts we have used and the gifts stripped
from us. Such gifts will be manifested against us. As a Christian, we are to be
lights in this world, holding forth the word of life to those who are lost.
Jesus did not give us life, talents, and spiritual gifts for us to hide them.
He gave them to us to use. Our light must shine before others; our light is not
only to be good, it is to do good!
Spiritual gifts will either be continued in us or taken from
us. The Lord will take said action based on what we do, or do not do, with
them. He expects us to make use of them to affect His Kingdom and to edify the
family of faith. This includes bringing the lost into the family of faith. When
you and I stand before Jesus during the final judgment, we will give an account
of how we lived and how we used our time, resources, and spiritual gifts. Will
you be able to tell Jesus that you used all of your talents and gifts to
advance His Kingdom?
Prayer: Lord, forgive me when I have failed to use the
spiritual gifts you have loaned me. Help me have courage to use my spiritual
gifts today, as well as my talents, time, and resources to affect your Kingdom
today. Amen.
