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Spiritual MOT: Warning lights & road-readiness
Am I faithfully managing what God has entrusted to me?
Matthew 25:14-30
The parable of the faithful servants14"You can also compare the Kingdom of heaven to a man who, because he was going to be away on a long journey, called his servants together and gave them various sums of money to put to use.15To one he gave five thousand, to another two thousand and to a third one thousand, knowing they had different abilities.16"The man who had been entrusted with five thousand used the money well and doubled the amount, making a further five thousand.17The servant who had been given two thousand also doubled the amount and made a further two thousand profit.18"However, the man with the one thousand merely found a safe place and hid his master's money.19"The master returned after a long time and called the servants to account for how they had used the money.20The man who had received five thousand brought the further five thousand profit he had made, saying, 'Master, I have doubled the five thousand you entrusted to me.'21"His master replied, 'You have done well. You are a good and faithful servant! You have proved your faithfulness in a small way; now I will give you much more responsibility. Come and share in your master's joy!'22"Then the man who had been given two thousand came forward and said, 'Master, I have doubled the two thousand you gave me to use.'23"His master replied, 'You also have done well and are a good and faithful servant. You have proved your faithfulness so now I can promote you. Come and share in my delight!'24"Then the man who had been entrusted with one thousand came forward and said, 'Master, I regarded you as a hard man, expecting to gather a harvest where you have not sown the seed yourself.25So in fear I went and put your money in a safe place. So here it is. I return what belongs to you.'26-27"His master replied, 'You are a wretched lazy servant! If you knew that I expected to gather a harvest where I have not sown personally, then you should at least have deposited my money in the bank, where it would have gained some interest by the time I returned.'28"Then he ordered, 'Take the thousand from him and give it to the one who now has ten thousand.29For everyone who is faithful in using what he has received will be given more, so much more that he will have an abundance. But those who are unfruitful in the way they use the little they have will end up with nothing; everything will be taken from them.30Throw this useless servant out into the spiritual darkness, where there will be continual mourning and eternal suffering.'
1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Never go beyond what is written1In view of all this, others should realise that we are Christ's servants, entrusted by God with those things that were formerly hidden.2-3It is necessary for those given such trust to prove faithful; so it does not concern me if I am judged by you or any human court; I do not even judge myself.4Although my conscience is clear, this does not mean I am innocent. I know that the Lord judges me; that is what matters!5So do not rush to any hasty judgments; when the Lord comes you will see the truth about everything. He will bring into the light those things that were hidden in darkness and then the motives of all our hearts will be exposed, and each will receive whatever praise is right!
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