Freedom to serve

Matthew 25 : 14 - 30

"I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground"

It is sad that many people, even Christians have a very wrong perspective about God's character. Others refuse to come to Christ because they cannot figure out how a supposedly good God can continue to allow suffering. Some may be so caught up in their personal grief that they fail to accept God's love and care. Many, many people feel that their freedom is restricted by a mean and unloving God....and so they never come to a dynamic, obedient relationship with him.

I have found that one of the most important things I can do to help others grow as disciples is to bring them to a correct biblical perspective of God's character. Obedience starts with knowing the God who has called us. False perceptions of God keep us 'unfree' to relate with and serve him - we do not trust God's goodness and dare not 'risk' using what he has given us. Sometimes, holding on to a false image of God is deliberate on a person's part. Other times, there are past issues that need to be dealt with before a person is able to trust God's goodness, especially in the face of difficult circumstances.

The third servant has a very skewed attitude about his master. He believes the master to be stern, mean and unjust. Perhaps he is just using this as an excuse for his laziness and unproductivity. Whatever the case, he refuses to 'risk' investing the master's talent in a fruitful manner. He merely hides it in the ground and rationalizes his unproductivity.

Our view of God determines our freedom to serve him.

First and foremost, our Lord is "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love".