Daily Manna Believer's Daily Compass

SATURDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2023

TEXT: Matthew 25:14-27

14. “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.

15. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

16. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more.

17. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.

18. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

20. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22. “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24. “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

25. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26. “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?

27. Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

(New International Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: PRUDENT STEWARDSHIP

Faithfulness as a virtue is emphasized in the parable of the Talents. A first glance at the parable, however, appears to give the impression that the first two servants were rewarded exclusively on the basis of their faithfulness. This is not necessarily the case.

The servants were rewarded for the prudent investment of the resources they were given, which brought about one hundred percent profit for each one of them.

The last servant was faithful in not squandering his master’s resource but because he was prudent in investing, he did not make any profit and was judged. The Lord calls you today to prudently put His resources to work and make profit until He comes.

The opposite of doing this is to hide the Lord’s resources given to you, whether they come in the form of money, talents, opportunities or status. When you do so, the Lord on His return, will ask you to account.

So, look at yourself. What advantages do you have? What are you doing with it? Concentrate on what you have not what you do not have. Be a prudent steward. Remember that you have something that others may not have!

QUESTION: What has the Lord given you? How prudent are you in using it?

PRAYER: Help me to be prudent in investing what You have given me. Let me not grumble over what I don’t have. Amen.