Talent Contests

Gtcotr/ws052610

Many of the rewards offered in life are commensurate with the risks which they demand.

Although we in America are sometimes called the “Wal Mart” generation, which refers to the Wal Mart guarantee, “If you don’t like it for any reason, bring it back for a full, cheerful refund” … although we are called the “Wal Mart” generation, life does not always offer guarantees.

Uncertainties are a part of life and most decisions contain some level of acceptable risk.

You have probably heard the saying, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”. Some people however think just the opposite; they say to themselves, “Nothing ventured, nothing lost”. While this may be true in some sense it stands squarely against the higher truths of life. In actuality, we are most likely to lose every time we stand in the batter’s box and refuse to swing; we lose our potential gains every time we choose to do nothing.

Sure, you may miss some of the balls if you swing, but you are guaranteed to miss every ball if you don’t. The game of baseball, like the game of life, contains some acceptable risks. However, games are won, based on the number of runs, and the game is designed to be played by hitters. Those who refuse to take the risks associated with the game will find themselves on the losing side of life and soon they will not be playing the game at all.

1 Corinthians 10:13 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.

One thing I love about life is that we don’t have to be great to participate. Another thing I love is that we are only asked to participate on our level. And for that reason, every person has the potential to be a star, hit a home run, or make a winning play. All we have to do is use the talent God has given us at the level we can play.

Not every person is called or gifted to play in the major leagues. Rather, everyone is placed in life where they have the potential do their best and win.

It would be wrong to think life is not a competitive sport. We daily compete in life with all that would oppose our victories. From health issues, financial interests, and relationship concerns, to spiritual matters, we compete to determine who wins in this life … Keep in mind: Winners have already been determined in the next life – then, in the next life, there will be no more opponents - however, this life is a competition.

In fact, much of life is a talent contest. Allow me to explain as we turn to:

Matthew 25 NKJV
14 ¶ "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
15 "And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
16 "Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
17 "And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
18 "But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
19 "After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
21 "His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
22 "He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
23 "His lord said to him, ‘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.’
24 "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 ‘And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 "But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
27 ‘So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
28 ‘Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
30 ‘And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Life is a talent contest and what we do with what we have determines what more we get.

This is true whether we are talking about opportunities, business, relationships, finances, or faith.

Of course, not everything is going to work every time. And, there are no guarantees except the guarantee that:

If you do nothing more than what you are doing, you will get nothing more than what you’ve got.

By the way, not all risks are acceptable risks, and not all risks should be taken.

There is a story in the Old Testament book of Genesis that tells about a man named Jacob who was a risks taker. Jacob was born with the ability to take risks, some of which he should not have taken.

The Bible tells how things should be and then also tells things how they are. When we read the stories of the Bible we should not always assume that we are free to make the same choices or do the same things that the people in those stories did. If we were to do that there is no telling which story we would pattern our life after … it might be Jezebel or Judas or even some more acceptable character like Samson in one of his bad decision moments of life.

God wants us to learn from many teachers, and in life, just as in the Bible, there are moments in people’s life when they teach us what to do, and how to be, and there are moments when they teach us what not to do and how not to be … both of these are valid lessons.

Such was the case in Jacob’s young life. Genesis 26 records Jacob taking a risk and tricking his father into giving him the blessing which was supposed to be reserved for the firstborn son in the family, which Jacob was not. This deception which was perpetrated by Jacob in conspiracy with his mother held great risks but also potentially great reward. Motivated by the reward, Jacob took the risk.

Even though I do not personally imagine that Jacob was behaving as God would have had him behave, the story does reveal Jacob as having the capacity to take calculated risks. Although this was not the place to have used that strength, nonetheless Jacob would indeed need this ability later in his life when God needed him to take other risks which were just as potentially costly and also just as potentially rewarding.

Remember what we have discussed in the past few weeks?
·Just because you can make it happen does not mean you should make it happen.
·It is not our weaknesses which most often cause us to fail but rather our unbridled strengths.

Another risk Jacob took in life happened several years later when, as a result of deceiving his father, Jacob was living in Syria. This particular story is one of my favorite stories in the Bible.

I will not take the time to tell you the story and its impact on my life right now. However, this coming Sunday I plan to share this story and use its principles to teach you how to achieve success and gain wealth. You see,

Much of life is a talent contest and what you do with what you have determines what more you get.

And, if you do nothing more than what you are doing, you will get nothing more than what you’ve got.

Allow me to reveal some viable alternatives and lay out some acceptable risks.

I’ll see you this Sunday morning, God willing, to discover how you can take advantage of the opportunities God is sending you way.