Trusting God and Taking Risks: A Lesson from Matthew 25:14-30

Summary

Discover the power of trusting God and taking risks in faith with insights from Matthew 25:14-30. Learn about God's provision and embrace your call to wholehearted obedience.

Introduction: Trusting God and Taking Risks Scripture

Have you ever taken a risk in faith and then wondered if you'd done the right thing? I can remembering excitedly embracing my call to Salvation Army officership and full-time ministry but wondering how my wife and I were going to manage on almost 50 percent. less money than we had been used to. I also remember sitting in my office on my first day as a Salvation Army church leader, after everyone who had been at the Parent and Toddler Summer Party had gone home, and wondering what on earth I was supposed to do next!

Trusting God and taking risks can often feel like a daunting task. We may find ourselves questioning whether we have what it takes to step out in faith and make the most of the resources God has given us. However, when we turn to the Scriptures, we find a powerful lesson in Matthew 25:14-30 that encourages us to have bold faith and trust in God's provision.

The Parable of the Talents

In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a master who entrusted his servants with different amounts of talents before going on a journey. The first servant received five talents, the second received two talents, and the third received one talent. The first two servants took a risk and invested the talents, doubling what they had been given. However, the third servant, out of fear, buried his talent in the ground.

Stepping Out in Faith

The first two servants demonstrated bold faith by taking risks with the resources they were given. They understood that their master had entrusted them with something valuable and they were determined to make the most of it. They didn't allow fear or uncertainty to hold them back. Instead, they embraced the opportunity and used their talents wisely.

Similarly, God has given each of us unique gifts, abilities, and resources. He wants us to step out in faith, trusting that he will provide and bless our efforts. When we take risks in obedience to God's calling, we open ourselves up to his transformative power and experience the joy of seeing his Kingdom advance.

God's Promise of Abundance

The parable also highlights God's promise of abundance when we faithfully steward what he has given us. The master in the parable commended the first two servants, saying, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:21 NLT)

When we trust God and take risks with the resources he has given us, he promises to bless us with even more. Our faithfulness in the small things paves the way for greater opportunities and blessings in the future. It is through our obedience and willingness to step out in faith that we can experience the fullness of God's provision.

Conclusion

Trusting God and taking risks may not always be easy, but when we have bold faith, we can experience the abundance and blessings that come from faithfully stewarding what God has entrusted to us. Let us be inspired by the example of the first two servants in the parable of the talents and embrace the opportunities to make a difference in the world around us. As we trust in God's provision and step out in faith, we can be confident that he will multiply our efforts and bring about his Kingdom purposes.