‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master…For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matthew 25:21,29
Jesus tells a parable about a man who goes on vacation and entrusts his money to three people when he is away. He gives them no instructions that we can see, just keep an eye on my money until I get back. When the man returns he asks the three, what did you do with my money when I was gone? The two reply, I doubled what you gave me, and the master answers what is in verse 21 above. Our third guy replies, I buried it in the ground, here it is exactly how you left it. The third man is not only dismissed, but called lazy, and asked, what do you mean you did nothing with what I gave you? What is going on here? Why is this third man treated so poorly?
Simple, risk taking. Two servants took extraordinary risk; investment of finances can be volatile. There are few guaranteed sure fire returns on investment for your money. Knowing that, they invested anyway. No safety net, no plan B. These two crazy risk-takers are commended by Jesus. Our third person takes the “safe” route, don’t risk, and don’t change, and he is thrown out, called worthless, and his possessions given to the craziest of the risk takers.
Jesus teaches us two things here: God’s work is ALWAYS risky, and we are called to take radical risks for the Kingdom of God. Jesus is clear, the risk-averse servant is not someone to look up to, or be like. Take a risk. Make a BIG change, invite someone to church, change your spending habits, and join a small group. Take risk because you have faith in God, faith in the risks God leads us to take, faith that God is at work in and through the risks. Risk is scary, risk is hard, risk challenges us, and risk is not comfortable because we don’t know the outcome. Risk means no safety net, and faith that God will catch you.
God will change lives and transform people. He invites us to be part of this amazing task, with 2 requirements: have faith, and take risks. You in?
Discussion Questions
1. If you know God would bless anything you did, what would you do for God?
2. What is holding you back?
3. Where is God calling you to take a risk?