The LORD has been teaching me a lot about what it means to be a "good steward."
Maybe that seems irrelevant, but let me explain.
In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the talents (which, according to dictionary.com is, before the year 900, "a balance, weight, monetary unit").
In this parable, a man (representing the Lord) goes on a journey, and he "called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability." (vs. 14 & 15)
Notice the phrase "his goods" is in bold.
Why? Because this represents that everything we have (whether ability, circumstance, opportunity, talent, skill.. whatever) is God's.
We are simply given the opportunity to be stewards of them.
So the amount of responsibility we can handle, so the amount God gives us.
("each according to his own ability").
As the story goes on, the servants who had five and two talents invested what was given to them and from the amount given to them, produced profit. However, the man with one talent simply hid the talent, making no use of it at all. (vs 17 & 18)
I do, however, want to draw out a parallel here, showing you how God has recently used this passage in my life.
In every believer's life, there are God-given responsibilities.
In our case, being single is the responsibility God has given us.
During this point of our lives, it is what God has called us to do.
The question is, are we being good stewards of our singleness?
God has kept us single for a reason-- we have tasks to do that we can only accomplish as single people. Well, are we doing them?
If we aren't good stewards of what God has given us as single people, we won't be good stewards of what God gives us while in a relationship. I believe that relationships are an extra lump of responsibility thrown into the mix which God blesses individuals with once they have been good stewards of what He has already given them.
If we aren't good stewards with our money while single, we won't be while married.
If we aren't good stewards with our time, we won't be while we married.
If we aren't good stewards with our talents, we won't be while married.
If we aren't good stewards with our spiritual gifts, we won't be while married.
If we aren't good stewards with our relationships, we definitely won't be while married.
Singleness is the time to develop what God has given us so that someday, we will be ready for more God-granted responsibility.
Don't waste your singleness.
Maybe that seems irrelevant, but let me explain.
In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the talents (which, according to dictionary.com is, before the year 900, "a balance, weight, monetary unit").
In this parable, a man (representing the Lord) goes on a journey, and he "called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability." (vs. 14 & 15)
Notice the phrase "his goods" is in bold.
Why? Because this represents that everything we have (whether ability, circumstance, opportunity, talent, skill.. whatever) is God's.
We are simply given the opportunity to be stewards of them.
So the amount of responsibility we can handle, so the amount God gives us.
("each according to his own ability").
As the story goes on, the servants who had five and two talents invested what was given to them and from the amount given to them, produced profit. However, the man with one talent simply hid the talent, making no use of it at all. (vs 17 & 18)
The man came back to see what the servants had done with what they were given, and to the first two men he said, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ (vs 20-23)Now, ok. I realize, if you read on, this passage is specifically talking about believers taking ownership of their faith, and the result of people refusing to accept what Christ has done for them and invest their lives into it. Or something to that affect.. I'm honestly not entirely sure (sorry for my lack of theological training). Either way, it is not my intention to take it out of context, by any means.
Unfortunately, here's what the servant with the one talent said to his master:
‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ (vs. 24-25)
To which the master responds
‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest....’
I do, however, want to draw out a parallel here, showing you how God has recently used this passage in my life.
In every believer's life, there are God-given responsibilities.
In our case, being single is the responsibility God has given us.
During this point of our lives, it is what God has called us to do.
The question is, are we being good stewards of our singleness?
God has kept us single for a reason-- we have tasks to do that we can only accomplish as single people. Well, are we doing them?
If we aren't good stewards of what God has given us as single people, we won't be good stewards of what God gives us while in a relationship. I believe that relationships are an extra lump of responsibility thrown into the mix which God blesses individuals with once they have been good stewards of what He has already given them.
If we aren't good stewards with our money while single, we won't be while married.
If we aren't good stewards with our time, we won't be while we married.
If we aren't good stewards with our talents, we won't be while married.
If we aren't good stewards with our spiritual gifts, we won't be while married.
If we aren't good stewards with our relationships, we definitely won't be while married.
Singleness is the time to develop what God has given us so that someday, we will be ready for more God-granted responsibility.
Don't waste your singleness.
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