The Parables

This week I have been studying two parables. One for the study called Chase the Lion for our Sunday School class and another in Calm My Anxious Heart for Women's Bible Study. These two parables are ones that I've heard, read or studied a dozen times but these two studies gave a fresh take on them and they have left an impact. So I thought I'd share.

The first one is the story of the three slaves who were given talents by their master each according to their ability. The first and second slave invested their talents and doubled them but the third slave buried his talent. The master had some pretty harsh words for him. The author of the study made the point that apparently breaking even didn't please Jesus. It is not good enough to maintain status quo. He went on with some other illustrations to make the point that you should not live on the defense, avoiding sin but omitting good. You should live your life on the offense and take risks to invest your God given talent. That impacted me because a lot of times as a busy wife , teacher, mother, friend many days I live life just enough to get through the day. I waste the time God gives me by counting away the minutes or looking to the next thing I have to get done. God gives me 24 hours in a day for purpose. I lately have been begging God to give me self discipline and He is slowly helping me. The only way I can live offensively for Him is through self discipline to accomplish what needs to be done in order to have time to reach out to others with God's love.

The second parable was about the man who owed a large amount of money but begged for mercy and was forgiven all of his debts only to turn around and demand a lesser amount from someone who owed him. He had the man thrown in prison. When the king who had forgiven him heard this he had him pay the fullest price. This parable speaks of forgiveness. How can you be forgiven of all your sins by God yet refuse to forgive others? And then it speaks to the consequences of unforgiveness. The author made several great points about unforgiveness turning into bitterness that keeps you from experiencing God's joy. This impacted me deeply. I can easily forgive but is hard for me to forget. I continue to bring up past hurts and let them taint relationships and eat me up. It even effects my relationship with God. Forgiveness is an action. I need to forgive and then find ways to bless the person I've forgiven. And it doesn't matter if they tell me they are sorry for hurting me or even acknowledge a wrong doing. Sometimes forgiveness is between me and God.

I hope I keep these truths close to my heart and act on them daily! I was blessed by reading about them and praying about them so I thought I would share. I hope everyone had a great weekend!