how do we use our talents?

Matthew 25:14-30:  “For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.  The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents.  In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents.  But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.”

Jesus tells a parable about using what you have to bring favor with God.  Although in the story, talents are money, in many ways, our talents, as we use the term today, are a form of valuable currency as well.   These talents can be the basis of our paid vocation or a source of fun and relaxation.

Whether it’s a talent for cooking, building, coaching or teaching, we all have talents that bring out the best in us and others.  Sometimes we use these talents to their full extent, and in the process, develop new talents.  Sometimes we put them on the back burner, and they languish there.  Sometimes our talents are hidden, and we don’t even know they exist because we haven’t explored that part of our selves.

And how we use our talents matters.  In the parable, the master rewards the servants who grow their talents, but takes away from the one who hides the talents entrusted to him.  Jesus warns, ”For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.”

How often do we sit on the sidelines when life calls for volunteers?  How often do we reserve our talents for those special ocassions, like they are fancy china, instead of using them every day?  When we hold our talents in reserve, they atrophy instead of growing stronger.  When we live out of abundance, more comes to us.  How will you use your talents today?

 

a new wind blows

Acts 2:1-8:  When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.  Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem.  And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.  Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?  And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?

We are gathered with the masses on the Jewish day of Pentecost.   All of the sudden, there’s a mighty wind and fire surrounds us.  People start talking in languages they don’t know about this mighty Jesus, the Son of God.  We should be scared, but they are speaking in our native language, and they are so inspired by this man who is also God.  It should be pandemonium, like the Tower of Babel falling down, and yet this time, the scrambled language is to bring God’s people together again.

On this day, we celebrate that no matter what language you speak or where you come from, God is in our midst through the Holy Spirit, blowing like a wind, burning like a fire, filling us with a love so great, that we have to share it with everyone we meet.  Being in the presence of the Holy Spirit, we are filled with a power that comes from deep within us, making us bold where we used to be timid.

In this story, Peter finds his voice.  He has traded in his status of follower for leader.   He isn’t denying his bond with Jesus or falling asleep on the job.  He isn’t that exuberant disciple, waving his hand in the air for Jesus to pick him to be his favorite.  No, on his day of Pentecost, Peter knows who he is and what he’s meant to do.  He is meant to feed and nurture the flock of people yearning to know God in a new way.  He is meant to go to the corners of the Earth and share the Good News.  He is meant to die a painful death, knowing that the path to salvation is not an easy one.

On this day, Peter is resurrected.  He is a new creation.  He is ready to take on a new mission.  And we can be too.

storming the gates

Psalm 118:19-24 – Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.  This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.  I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.  The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.   This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Hosanna, Hosanna!  This is the day that the Lord has made!  Let us rejoice and be glad in it, indeed.  The somber season of Lent is coming to a close, as we enter Jerusalem with shouts and acclamation.  We have seen the miracles Jesus has done and we are ready to storm the gates of righteousness to take our place in this new kingdom.  We have been disenfranchised long enough.  We are poor, outcast, sick and undesirable.  We don’t get to carry the keys to the kingdom, but this is our chance.  Jesus is headed to Jerusalem.  We should go with him!

What I love about Palm/Passion Sunday is the juxtaposition of emotions.  We open with waving palms and songs of joy and expectation.  Our Savior is coming!  He’s storming the gates of righteousness!  We are rebuilding the temple to be what God intended.  The promise is about to come true!

And too often, we are tempted to stay in this spot, waving our branches, waiting for Jesus, without considering the rest of the week.  We want to miss the day in the temple, where Jesus upsets the carts and makes a mess.   We sit at the Last Supper, failing to take in what he is saying about his body and blood as a living sacrifice of love.  Somehow, the trial surprises us, and before we know it, we’ve denied we even knew him, and he’s dying there on the cross.  Our world is spinning out of control. 

But we can’t get to Easter unless we pass though the full range of emotions today.  Jesus is at the gate, ready to change to world.  He’s just not going to do it in the ways we were expecting.   Will we go with him on this journey or stay outside with our branches?

what does the lord require?

Micah 6:6-8: “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”  He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

It seems so simple, and yet it’s so hard.  What does God require of us?  To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. 

Like the people of Israel, we often wish God would be satisfied with something easier and more tangible.  Maybe not a burnt offerings or thousands of rams, but the equivalent for this day.  Can’t we just send a check to that organization to fight injustice for us?   If they prevail, can’t we take credit?  Afterall,  they couldn’t have done it without our support, right? 

Don’t get me wrong.  As one who has worked in those organizations all my life, I appreciate having the backing of people behind me, whether I’m lobbying Congress or testifying on a federal rulemaking.  And I write my fair share of checks to other organizations to fight other battles I don’t have time or interest to fight myself. 

But what does God really want?  God wants us to get our hands dirty and be active participants in creating a better world.  We are called to DO justice, not just like or approve of justice.   We are called to LOVE kindness, not just hope that it happens.  And God wants to walk with us on our journey and be our companion.

As we enter into a this time of Lent, it’s appropriate to work on making those corrections in our lives that keep us from being who we are called to be and doing what is required of us.   What does the Lord require of you?

compliments

Matthew 5:13-16:  “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.  “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.  No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

I’ve been taking a number of cooking classes this year, and a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of taking a class from Carla Hall, who has been a successful contestant on Top Chef.  She was talking about why restaurant food often tasted so much better than the food we cooked at home, and attributed it to a few ingredients used liberally — butter and salt.  As she  held up a container of salt, she asked, “So what is this?”  Most of us were thinking, salt.   But with a big smile, she said, “Compliments!  If you use it, you will get them.  If you don’t, you probably won’t.” 

I’ve noticed that salt brings out the other flavors in the food and makes it better.  You can overdo it, but if you omit it, the food really is flat and not as interesting.  It just seems like it’s missing something.

This got me thinking.  If we are the salt of the earth, maybe our role is to be compliments to the earth.  We are meant to be that little bit of seasoning that enhances everything around us, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts.  When we offer compliments to others, it  brings out their best and helps then shine.  And the more we share compliments, the better our corner of the world becomes, because we all begin to believe in our best selves and aspirations.

And once we believe in our best selves, we do shine.  We beam with pride when someone notices we’ve done something well.   When we shine, we can see the talents of those around us.   

We are the salt.  We are the compliments.  We are the light.   As Jesus commands, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

with whom i am well pleased

Matthew 3:13-17 :   Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.  John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”  But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.  And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

At the baptism of Jesus, as he rises out of the water, there’s the voice of God and the symbol of the Holy Spirit, saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”  It’s one of two places where God speaks up directly about the divinity of Jesus.  The baptism is a public acknowledgement that Jesus is not just another man at the river, but is the manifestation of God in our midst.    And God doesn’t leave any question about who he is, or how God feels about this Son of Man.  God is well pleased!

So when have you felt like God is well pleased with you?  When have you been publicly acknowledged as a son or daughter of great worth?  As a parent, when was the last time your children knew you were proud of them and they felt like a beautiful, unique creation?

Too often, it’s almost impossible to take our minds off what isn’t pleasing in others (and ourselves).   We think if we nag and cajole, even nicely, that somehow the person will change his or her ways and be more pleasing to us.  Maybe they just need some motivation or direction we can provide.  Afterall, perfection is a work in progress and we are just trying to make them more perfect, right? 

But how often do we let our children, co-workers, friends or family know that we are well pleased with them, just the way they are?  And when do we shout out our pleasure for everyone around to hear?  Sure, sometimes public acclamation can be embarrassing, but really, who doesn’t want to hear that someone thinks they are awesome and want everyone to know it too?  We hoard compliments like we only have a limited supply.  But in fact, the more we share that we are well pleased, the pleasing that person can become, and the more pleasing we become in God’s sight.

following the star

Matthew 2:1-4, 8, 11-12: In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”  When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him…  Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”  On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

The season of Epiphany begins on January 6 with the arrival of the wise men.  They have studied the prophecies and followed the bright star a great distance to find this new king.  They come with fine gifts.  But they don’t find the new king in Jerusalem, in the place of power and wealth.  They find him in the dusty little town of Bethlehem or possibly in working-class Nazareth.  He is a king of humble beginnings, but destined for great things.

When the wise men come, they bestow a worldly power on baby Jesus.  They bring gifts of wealth, royalty and sacrifice.  They validate that this is the king foretold by the prophets, that God is truly with us in human form. 

An epiphany is an illuminating moment, when something new is revealed.  It’s when the light comes on and suddenly we see something in a new light.   The wise men are the first to see something majestic in Jesus, but we also encounter Jesus at his baptism, his first miracle at the wedding of Cana, and in the transfiguation.   In this season, we are getting to know this Son of God and celebrating in God’s revelation in our midst.

But God is always revealing more to us every day, if we are open to the epiphanies in our midst.  When we find something new in the ordinary, God is there.  When we learn and grow through challenges, God is there.  God is shining a light in all the dark places and waiting for us to find new revelations.   If only we will follow the light, as the wise men did, looking for something spectacular.

light shines in the darkness

John 1:1-5:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Today is the last day of the 12 days of the Christmas season.  During the season of Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Although the nativity stories of Matthew and Luke are more familiar, the Gospel of John also offers a birth of sorts.  God is  the Word and Light.  God has been there from the beginning and will be there in the end.  God is the light that shines in the darkness, making a way for us to follow.  Jesus is that light that breaks through in that darkest time of the year, showing us the way to God and the Word.

The light shines in the dark night, in the stable behind an inn.  It shines as the angels tell the  shepherds to go see a baby.  It shines in the star that brings the wise men from afar.  It shines in the face of Mary and Joseph as they marvel at the birth of their child.  It shines in the face of the baby Jesus.   God shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overtake it.

No matter how dark it is, God is there.  God is in the heart of our enemies, offering hope for reconciliation.  God is in the dark recesses of our hearts,  guiding us into a better place.  God is that light that passes between strangers, making them friends.  God is that reflection that lets you see someone in a new light.

God is the word, the light, the life, the all.  Nothing has come to life that is not part of God, and therefore, everything is holy.   God sent Emmanuel, God with us, to dwell among us and shine a light on the path to God’s grace.   The light is always on, and the word is always there to guide us.   As we leave the stable of Christmas, and come into the light of Epiphany, God is there to show us the way.

there is a season

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:  a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;  a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

At the beginning of a new year, it’s a good time to reflect backwards and forwards.  What went well and what do I want to change next year?  Where do I want to be this time next year, and what will I need to do to get to that place?  It’s a time to make resolutions and get going in a new direction.

In the church year, the seasons mark the touchstones of  Christian life.  The 4 weeks of Advent prepare us for the birth of Christmas.  The quiet 12 days of Christmas prepare us for a time of growth and exploration that begins with Epiphany.  The 6 weeks of Lent give us time to clear out the barriers that keep us from really following Jesus wherever he leads.  The 50 days of Easter help us know the risen Lord, and the long season of Pentecost helps us perfect our walk toward holiness and share the Good News in our lives with others. 

There is a season for everything.  A time to listen to angels, pregnant with the possibilities of new life within us.   A time to give birth to new dreams.   A time to accept gifts from strangers.  A time to grow and explore our own ministry.  A time to reflect and redirect ourselves toward the real destination.  A time to enter the room with shouts and acclamations.  A time to be scorned and rejected.  A time to rise up with a new sense of purpose.  A time to share the love you have found with everyone you meet.  And a time to start the cycle all over again, in a new place on the path.

The seasons come and go.  We can either jump in and live them with intention and zeal, or just let them happen.   The choice is ours.

away in the manger

Luke 2:15-19:  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in a manger.  When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

On this Christmas night, after all the commotion and craziness, it’s important to just sit with the story of Jesus’ amazing birth story.  After the long journey from Nazareth to the manger, and a slow and painful delivery in the straw, guests arrive with a fantastic story of more angels.  And Mary (and probably Joseph too), now quite comfortable with the stories of angels, and exhausted by the journey and events of the past few days, treasured these stories and pondered them in their hearts.

What might they be thinking this Christmas evening?  I’d be thinking, “What have we gotten ourselves into?  I wanted to get married, have a child, and live a quiet and faithful life.  But angels have been visiting me, my betrothed, and now these shepherds, telling me that I am the chosen vessel for God to come into our world?  Why me?  I’m not sure I’m up for this job.”  

But Mary takes this all in stride.  She accepts that God is using her to do something truly exceptional, something so hard to believe, she just has to trust that God knows what God is doing.  She has to just let go of the preconceived notions of what her life would be like and surrender into God’s new game plan for her life as the mother of the Messiah.

Sometimes, when God takes control of the reigns, you just have to let go and trust that this new path is the right path.  You have to believe that if God puts you on this path, God will give you the tools and strength for the journey.  God has sent us Emmanuel today - which means God with Us.  And that baby, born in the manger this day, will be with us every day as we long to have God with Us.