August 15: FEAR

See it:

Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, “Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.” Matthew 25:24-25 (NLT)

Obey it:

What would you do if you knew failure was not possible? Today, take some time to read Matthew 25. It’s a great chapter. One of the stories it shares is about three people that were given some money. Two invested it and increased their earnings; one did not. He said something very revealing: “I was afraid.” Fear paralyzed him. It can do the same to us also. Here are some lessons from that passage:

1.      Our perception of who God is directly affects our tolerance for risk. If we see a God who is mad and angry, we concentrate on His judgment while neglecting His grace. Our service for Him decreases. That reality directly affects the people around us, because our gifts were made to bless others, not to be hoarded and hidden.

2.      If God has given you gifts, He expects a return investment. In case you forgot, He was the one who gave you the five, two, or one talent you have in the first place. You did not get those talents on your own!

3.      God has not called you to be someone you are not. If you are a two-talent person, He does not want you to act like a five-talent. Or a one-talent. He doesn’t want us to be everything or do everything, but He does want us to do something . . . like serving someone else with our five, two, or one talent. Help. Not hide.

Share it:

Today do this:
1. Fill an expired or about to expire parking meter.
2. Leave some extra money in the vending machine.
3. Buy extra groceries for the local food bank.

My prayer today:
Something is going to happen today that will test your faith. Walk through it without fear. Pray: “God, help me be ready to try something new.”

Season of Service