Luke 12:48 is one of my favorite bible verses. It says, “To whom much is given; much is demanded.”
I have had people over the years immediately get their dander up when I talk about this verse and tell me that the reason they don’t go to church is because it is all about money. What? I tell them that there is nothing here that says Jesus was talking just about money. Jesus talked about money a lot but in this case He is talking about all our gifts but let’s talk about money for a minute.
The bible is clear that everything on Earth is the Lord’s so all the money we have is His but He let’s us use it and we are supposed to be wise with it. The only time He asks us to test Him is in Malachi 3: 9-10 when He says that if we tithe we will see the blessings and he even says to test Him. Does this mean we don’t get to Heaven if we don’t tithe? No, but when we tithe and share our blessings our lives are enriched.
I think that people forget the gifts that they have because too often we only think of gifts in a monetary way. There are gifts of art, music, writing, speaking, hospitality, organizational skills and I could go on and on. We should certainly use our gifts to make money if we have the opportunity but we should also remember to make sure as Christians that we always ask if Jesus would be welcome to come to the event or see the work we just completed and how we completed it.
As Christians we also need to remember to use our talents in a volunteer way too. I knew an attorney who would do at least one adoption a month and never charge as he considered it a way to give back. I know doctors who spend a week or two a year doing surgeries free in poor areas or countries. There are musicians who will not charge for certain church events or fund raisers and artists who will donate their time and talent for a fund raiser. All these people are practicing the tenets of Luke 12:48.
When I talk about this I hear all the usual excuses. I’m too old. I’m too young. I didn’t go to college. Then there is my all time favorite; I would love to but I don’t have the time.
First off if you are a more “seasoned” member of the human race then you have a ton to offer. You have insight and wisdom that only comes with the years you have lived. You are probably more patient too. You know that the expression, “This too shall pass.” is a true statement. Call your church or nearest Senior Citizen Center and I guarantee you that you will find that your talents, even the ones you acquired just from living, are in need somewhere. Using them will make your life all the richer.
If you are young then you have energy and stamina. You also have innovative ideas that as we get older we often push to the back of our minds because everyday living gets in the way. There is no end to the number of agencies that will grab you up in a New York minute if you offer your time. Remember even if you don’t have a specific talent your hidden talent will come to the forefront.
You don’t need to be a college graduate in order to have something to offer others. Maybe you are a great cook, baker, sewer, mechanic, plumber, electrician etc. All of these talents as well as numerous others can be used by various organizations. If you are a college graduate and have a professional talent it won’t take long for you to find a place that would love your assistance.
Too busy? Really? I bet if you look at your schedule you will find that you have chosen to put yourself under the proverbial gun as you go day to day. I know people who are busy with jobs and families but find time to put even a couple of hours a week or month toward a volunteer endeavor. You must decide what your priorities are day to day. The Lord gives all of us 1440 minutes each day. What we do with them is on us. Remember you can do a lot things with those minutes but you can’t save them. We need, as Christians, to make sure we are using them correctly and to God’s glory.
This is what Luke 12:48 means to me. I hope that if you agree with me that you will reevaluate your daily schedule and look at where you might volunteer and help to make your community a little richer. If you already are doing that, well, as a member of God’s Kingdom I thank you.