Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (I Corinthians 12:7—NIV)

We know the Holy Spirit has given every believer one or more Kingdom talents. We know we are to present our body a living sacrifice each day so we may discover what it is we are to do to help build the Kingdom of God. No believer is exempt. To sit in church Sunday after Sunday without discovering what our talent is and not using it is to risk dreadful punishment "at that day."

God does not give each believer the same amount of "money."

Some are given five thousand dollars, some two thousand dollars, to another one thousand dollars. This does not seem fair. We have to realize status in the Kingdom of God is determined by the Lord, not by what seems fair to us. Our only responsibility is to be utterly faithful with what we have been given. That is enough for us. The Lord is not impressed by our importance but by our faithfulness.

God gives to each according to his or her ability. We were not all born with the same ability and God understands that and deals with us accordingly.

The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. (Matthew 25:16-18—NIV)

Notice that it was the person who had received only one talent that did the wrong thing. Those given more were diligent with what had been assigned to them. This is so true of people. Since they do not believe they have been given any great gift, like the pastor or evangelist, they do not use what they do have believing it is not important.

The truth is, every member of the Body of Christ without exception is absolutely essential to the health and operation of the Body just as is true of our physical body. When one member is not functioning we all suffer!

Notice also that in the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents we are not dealing with sinning Christians—sinning in the customary usage of the term. The foolish virgins were foolish, not wicked sinners. Yet the Lord did not know them. The person with the one talent was not a wicked sinner. Yet his fate was horrible. His only sin was not using what he had been given.

We Christians need to understand this concept thoroughly. Grace does not cover foolishness or neglecting to serve the Lord with one's gifts. You would think from today's preaching that a believer could be foolish or neglectful and bear no serious consequences because of Divine grace. The truth is, the consequences of being foolish, careless, lazy, or neglectful, even though we do not regard these as serious sins, are as horrible as one can imagine. We disregard this scriptural truth at our peril.

To be continued.