Sunday Devotion: 15 November 2020, Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday Devotions
Are you sometimes afraid to serve?
Written by clergy and lay people across our Diocesan community, ‘Sunday Devotions’ is a column of short reflections based on a Lectionary reading of the day, suitable for small group discussion or personal use.
Main Readings: Judges 4.1-10; Psalm 123; 1 Thessalonians 5.1-11; Matthew 25.14-30 [Zephaniah 1.7; 12-18; Psalm 90.1-8 (9-11) 12]
Supplementary Readings: Psalm 62; 1 Thessalonians 5.12-28; Judges 5.1-12; Psalm 90.1-12; Matthew 24.36-51
“…so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” (Matthew 25.25)
When I look around and see what other priests are doing for the Kingdom of God, I often find myself thinking, “If only I had what they had, then I would be able to make more of a difference.” I often think that what I have is not enough. When these thoughts step in they are often followed by a sense of fear that stops me from even offering to serve, let alone to make a difference.
The servant in today’s Gospel story who was given the least was too afraid to even use his talent (coin) in the most simple form, that is investing it. Instead the servant hid the talent. The fear not only stopped the servant from making a wise choice, it also led to the servant losing it all.
When our fear of using what God has given us for the growth of God’s Kingdom steps in, we also run the risk of making choices that are not in line with God’s plan, and we may even lose the very things that God has given us. For example, if we do not share love, and instead hide it from others, we may very well lose an understanding of what love is.
Fear may be able to stop us, but trusting in what God has given us, no matter how small it may seem, can help us grow God’s Kingdom. It comes down to our choice. What will yours be?
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