Creation is a Gift (James 1:17 reference)

Creation was a perfect gift from above.  God wants us to help shape the world.  What’s the Biblical proof of this?  It’s in the Parable of the Talents, but it’s even in Genesis.  In Genesis 1:28, God tells human beings to subdue the Earth.  Subduing, according to the original Hebrew, is an action of shaping and molding.  In the original language, the word used for “subdue” was more closely related to “steward” or “mold,” rather than the modern meaning of “force down” or “break down.” Examining this command, God wants us to help shape the Earth.  But unless we have some context, we don't really know what that means.

For instance, I've gathered from being in some business circles that certain individuals believe God allows us to do whatever we want to the earth to make the most money.  Elsewhere, the Bible says that heaven and Earth will pass away.  Some people take that to mean they can destroy whatever they want, since God lets it “pass away” in the end anyway.  But this disregards God's purposing of humans as gardeners of His creation. We steward.  The object is to care for creation, not to use and abuse creation.  Some misguided souls believe that in the competition of “profit vs. nature,” profit is superior because it lines our pockets, and nature is just there to help us with that.  But this is foolishness.  We so often fail to see that *money too* will pass away, and that the love of money over our spiritual responsibilities (like caring for the garden of creation) is a trap that divides us from God (Matthew 6:24). 

 

Despite that it may not make financial sense to decrease profit by caring for nature, Paul says that to the world, the wisdom of God is foolishness (1 Corinthians 3:18).  It may not make financial sense, but it makes more Godly sense than to destroy, pollute, and corrupt God's creation in exchange for money that God said can corrupt us (Matthew 19:23-24).  This is a very delicate subject in today's world of slash-and-burn politics.  But, the Creator created creation.  Where in the Bible does it say to destroy it so we may receive cash?  The concept of serving money's needs above God's works was not a concept that Jesus taught.  But in this country, there is a long history of propaganda that has attempted to turn God's people into pro-profit pawns.  There are parables about money in scripture, and these propagandists use them to justify profit at all costs.  They do this through improper interpretation of scripture.  I’d like to examine one of the most popular parables used by these folks: The Parable of the Talents.  

The parable takes place in Matthew 25:14-30.  To begin with, there are three servants and a Master.  The Master, God, gives the first servant 5 talents (5 pieces of money).  He gives the second servant 2 talents.  Last of all, He gives the third servant one talent.   The first two servants make good use of the money by trading and making a profit, and God rewards them with eternal life (the “joy of the Master”).  However,  the third servant hides the money and does not multiply what his master gave him.  This is crucial because we are told to multiply the Kingdom of God on the earth.  The parable is not talking about literal money - it's talking about spreading God's message over all the Earth.   Remember, parables are not literal – there is always an underlying meaning.

It is hard for the rich to enter into paradise.  So why would Jesus talk about how we should be rich in money?  Would he not be saying we should be rich in good works, and to be good stewards of what God has given us (the kingdom of God?).

This theme is also present in the Parable of the Sower.  Jesus says that the Word is spread by the farmer. Some falls on a path, some in rocky places, some among thorns, and some on good soil.  Every kind of soil besides the good soil produces no fruit – in fact, the seeds sown among thorns are choked out by “the deceitfulness of wealth.”  Jesus explains that the seed on good soil is a person who hears and understands the Word.  They produce a crop of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold.  So again, multiplication is involved, and we see it's not about money, otherwise the Word that fell on thorny soil (full of the deceitfulness of wealth) would have been fine.  It's about multiplying the Kingdom here on earth.

There is a common theme we can see: using the gifts that God has given us for good.  Jesus wants us to use these gifts to multiply the Kingdom of God and make a difference in the lives of others.  When we put the gift that God has given us out into the world as the two good servants did, God creates fruitfulness.  In the same way, when we let our light shine, we shine the light of God to the darkness of the world.  And when we receive seed as good soil does, we produce a crop through the Lord's power that multiplies His Kingdom on the Earth.  The talents are like light and seed: they are a gift of God, that we are expected to multiply.  We are to multiply His gifts throughout the world (“bear fruit” in John 15, or “produce a harvest” in Mark 4:20).  When the Master returns, He rewards the two servants who make more talents, or who multiply what they were given through the grace of God.  Jesus lets them enter into heaven and He gives them even more responsibility.  The third servant buried his money (spiritual gifts) in the ground, and the master curses him to the outer darkness.

We can actually multiply our money by giving it away.  Instead of keeping it for ourselves, when we give it to the poor, we receive a reward that dust and moth will not destroy.

Now, no one will be perfect in multiplying our gifts, and we can always ask for forgiveness if we're failing to do so.  And if we believe we don't have any gifts to give, or if we feel we don’t know how to use our gifts, we have a simple, easy way to find out: talk to God about it.  We can pray to God to reveal our gifts in a way we understand.  And He will do it, because He is faithful.

As for me personally, I didn't think that God gave me many gifts for much of my life and had issues with self-esteem.  I thought it would be impossible to really contribute to His Kingdom without a seminary degree.  But after much prayer, He revealed to me that He’s given me at least two gifts: understanding, and a voice.  Understanding of the scriptures, and a voice to write and speak and sing about them.  I say this just to illustrate just what an immense thing prayer is.  It took a long time and a lot of help from God before I really pursued my gifts.  I urge us all to pray about our spiritual gifts, because the Father has given each of us something.  And if we feel we don't have the right gifts, we can always pray for more (Matthew 7:7-11).  But there is nothing God has given you that you can't use!!!

When we learn and develop our gifts, we realize that God has given us something much greater than money – He has given us the power to shine a light that will change peoples' hearts, and to shine the loving power of God into their lives.

And this is the meaning of the Parable of the Talents.  Not that we are supposed to invest our savings in stocks and bonds, but that we are supposed to invest the gifts of God into the people around us for the purposes of God's Kingdom.  In a way, God's currency, or "talent," is Jesus.

Paul says, "’I have the  right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to  do anything’—but not everything is constructive.  No one should seek their own good, but the good of others (1 Corinthians 10:23-24).”  When we seek the good of others and do not hide the gifts that God has given us, we accomplish God's intent for our lives.  Most of that intent is spreading His Kingdom here on Earth.  And the Father will be proud of our efforts because we are using our gifts to shine His Light.

God desires that we use our gifts.  We all need God's help with this.  When we pray, God will show us our gifts, and when we use them to multiply the Kingdom of God, He will give us more.  We can be guided by the Holy Spirit, the Hound of Heaven, who will search out all our gifts and reward us for using them for the good of His Kingdom.  This does infinite good, and allows us to spread God's gifts according to His plan.  Let's pray that God reveals to us the gifts He has in store, which allow us to accomplish His purposes here on earth, as it is in heaven!!!  God Bless you, God love you, and God save you!!!