Deeper Still by phil mccallum

Press the arrow to listen to New Life Worship sing “Overcome” as you read today’s devotion about fruitfulness

Scripture
But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Matthew 25:26

Observation
The third servant was the fall guy in Jesus’ story. The first two are honour roll students while the third one lived on detention. His story was told so that we understand the story of the first two better.

All three workers perceived that the master was an amazing investor, but they saw his success from a very different point of view. The wicked and lazy man, saw that the boss was successful but felt that he as a slave was a failure. He felt that the success of his master was something that the man would use only for his own benefit and always against him. Therefore, he never developed his potential.

The successful servants perceived the master quite differently They also knew he was an investment wizard, but they perceived that the master wanted them to share in his success. In times past, the master would have done the investment, but now he was entrusting it to them. They knew that he would do so, only that they might succeed. From their point of view, the boss trusted them, therefore they must have value, that his business affairs were uncannily successful and that he would lavishly reward them. Because these servants felt the safety net of the master’s approval they took great risks and found great reward.

Did the lazy servant have any less potential of success? No, but because of a skewed view of his master and the self-doubt that came from that, he failed. He trusted his failures rather than trusting the entrustment of the Master.

Application
I have been entrusted in life with more than is fair. Everything is better than I deserve. This has been done because I am entrusted to be successful. There are times that memories of past failures come into my mind, particularly of those who did not believe in me. In those moments, I want to put my investment wad into a piggy bank under my bed. God has given me so much because he wants me to share in his success. The return on the kingdom of heaven is out of this world. There is no enterprise on earth that will double an investment in under a year on a consistent basis. But the Father’s business is abundantly blessed. I have been invited into that so that I may succeed. I must take the risks that come from trust like that.

Prayer
Father, there are times I think you trust me too much. There are also times I cower in fear of failure. Help me to take everything you have given to me out of the package and use it fully. Let me die with every good thing unwrapped, worn and fruitful. I want to share in the exhilaration of joy that you and I will share on the last day. It will be that day when I enter the gates and you and I hug for eternity and do the dance of delight because we overcame together. Though I look alone on this earth, I know that we are in this together. Today, bear much fruit from me. Amen.

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