Life is what we make out of it. A Blacksmith takes five dollars worth of iron and makes it into horseshoes and gets twenty dollars for them. A machinist fashions the same iron into needles, and gets hundreds of dollars. The watchmaker takes the same iron and manufactures mainsprings, and receives thousands of dollars.
Similarly, one person uses his time and talents to advance his own earthly interests. Another takes the same opportunities, and through wisdom and the counsel of God's word, shapes and molds his life for eternity. He refines his character so that he is worth something to the world and God.
It's entirely up to you and I whether we develop our lives into a noble accomplishment, our character into a thing of beauty, and our talents into a source of glory to God. A life without aim or purpose shows no intelligence or forethought.
What have we done with the life God has given us? How have we used our talents to the glory of God? With reference to the one-talent man, Jesus said, "And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 25:30). How will we answer God when we are asked what we have done with our talents? God has told us that He expects us to understand His will and do it. Ephesians 5:17 says, "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is." 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 says, "...When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power..." Let's ensure that we are using our talents wisely.
We read in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." What did Paul mean by the statement "I am not ashamed"? Paul, like all of us, had certainly done things in the past of which he was ashamed. However, he now lived in such a way that he would not be ashamed to face Jesus.
Paul had found the good news of salvation and told it openly--he wasn't ashamed. He wasn't embarrassed to speak of the Christ or to suffer for the faith that he held. He kept on repeating proudly, "Jesus is the Christ!"
Paul wasn't disappointed with Christ and His blessings. He trusted in Christ and Christ never forsook him. Paul just kept on proclaiming the good news of the gospel. He was never ashamed to proclaim that message. Paul was never embarrassed to speak the name of Jesus to those who did not know Him. Paul was never disappointed with the one who was His Savior and friend.
Are we ever ashamed of the story of Jesus? Do we hold back our confession of Him before men? Will Christ be ashamed of us on that judgment day? Jesus said, "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38).
1 Peter 4:16 says, "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter."
Let us unashamedly serve our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
Paul told Timothy, "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." (1 Timothy 4:16). Timothy's manner of life, as well as his words, preached a message. What we believe and teach is important, but more important is what we practice.
For the Christian, two things must not be separated - sound teaching and a life consistent with that teaching. Paul told the Corinthians, "You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). Andrew Harriston said, "The Christian's life is the Lord's audio-visual."
Is your faith based upon a proper understanding of God's word? An affirmative answer to this question is still not enough. We must add, Is your life's practice consistent with your understanding of God's word? James 1:25 says, "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."
Let us not only be diligent in learning the Lord's will, but in doing what He has taught us. Jesus said, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock..." (Matthew 7:24).
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could see things as God sees them? If we could see as God sees, we would know that most fears never materialize. Most of the things we spend most of our time worrying over will never happen and, thus, we waste energy and weaken ourselves.
Surely this is why Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Each day has enough trouble of its own. If we could see as God sees, we'd realize that there's no problem that we'll face which is without resolution. In our gloomier moments of illness, financial stress, or personal problems, we ponder and study over questions which seem to have no answers.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." James 1:2-4 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." If we could see as God sees, we would understand that no trial comes without an attached blessing. Things can't be seen in advance and in our anguish we tend to doubt that anything good can come from a heartache.
If we could see as God sees things, we would know that nothing is more important than having a Savior. The ups and downs of life all lead to the end of life, and at the end lies the Christian's moment of joyous triumph in Jesus. "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)
