BEING A TEN TALENT CHRISTIAN

I believe that God loans us time, talent, and treasure, and how we use these gifts determines our recognition and reward in heaven.  The wise use of our talents here on earth determines how many crowns we are rewarded at the judgment, crowns being another word for blessings we receive for our service to others in their time of need.

Some of you, most of you probably, realize that I like to win. Which is a polite way to say that I am a poor loser.   But the truth is I don’t want to get into heaven by the skin of my teeth, or as the scripture said, “as one escaping through flames”.  I want a crown.  Actually, I want as many crowns as I can get.  Because when I stand at the seat of judgment, I want my God and Savior to exclaim for all to hear that I was a good and faithful servant.

Which brings us full circle to the title of this message and the story of the ten talents.  I want to be Ten Talent Christian. I want to be recognized for taking the 5 talents I was given and investing them wisely.  And then I want to leave the seat of judgment with the crowns of blessing as my reward, a true ten talent Christian.

 At the second judgment of believers, I want to be awarded the Crown of Self-control for avoiding temptation and sin.

I want to be awarded the Crown of Influence, for praying for others, for giving my time and money, and for forgiving those around me that trespassed against me.

I want to be awarded the Crown of Righteousness for running the race to which I was assigned and eagerly waiting for God’s return.

And finally, I want to be awarded the Crown of Life for having used wisely all the talents that God entrusted to me and then being acknowledged as a good and faithful servant, by my Lord and Savior.

Today my prayer for all of you, is that you will decide to use your talents wisely, and act with resolve to run the race and live as true Ten Talent Christians.  So that on the day of Judgment, our Lord and Savior will say to each of you, “Well done, good and faithful servant, come and share your master’s happiness.”

Brad Belke