Wicked and Lazy or Holy and Hard Working

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I’m Doug Apple...and my heart is on fire.  (Luke 24:32)

Are you wicked and lazy, or holy and hard working?

I’m getting this from Jesus’ parable of the talents.

Two guys worked hard and increased what they had been given, but that one guy, he hid the master’s money in the back yard.  He didn’t lose it.  He just didn’t grow it.  He didn’t increase what he had been given.

Then the master returns and what’s he looking for?  

Increase!

He wants to see improvement.  He wants to see growth.

And what does he say when he doesn’t find improvement and growth?

He turns on that man and in very strong language he says, “You wicked and lazy servant.”

Wow.  He didn’t soft pedal it.  He didn’t let him down gently.  He tore him up.

Why?

Because time had been wasted.  Opportunity…wasted.

God is not into waste.  He is into growth.

He has given us gifts.  We have time.  We have talents.  We have opportunities.  

And we have an assignment.  We have a requirement.

Our requirement is to grow what we have been given.

I highly recommend that you take this to the Lord in prayer.

“God, what have I been given?  How should I grow it?”

This is a sobering time.  This needs to be taken seriously.  

In the parable of the talents, two men took it seriously, and things turned out well for them.  One of them, and I’m not going to say he didn’t take it seriously.  He wasn’t a total clown.  The master didn’t call him a clown.  He called him “wicked and lazy.”

Why was he wicked and lazy? 

Because he was entrusted with something and he didn’t grow it.  He didn’t improve it.

That is the requirement.  

Are you wondering what you are supposed to be doing with your life?

You are supposed to take what you have and grow it, improve it, make it better.

It’s time to get to work.  You sure don’t want to receive the wrath of the master.

And you certainly don’t want to hear the words, “You wicked and lazy servant.”

Instead of being wicked and lazy, I want to be holy and hard working.

“Father God, please help each and every one of us become the holy and hard working people You want us to be, not wasting any of the time or talents or opportunities You’ve blessed us with, but investing, improving and growing, from this day forward, for the glory of God, for the blessing of Your people, and for the growth of Your kingdom.  In Jesus’ name we pray…”

Amen.

May God bless you today.

I’m Doug Apple.

(Matthew 25:14-30)