No Regrets

Monday, January 5, 2015

Sociologists at one university recently completed a study on regret. In it, they examined whether people felt more regret over what they had done or what they had failed to do. The researchers found that people´s regrets over their actions or inactions were roughly even when asked about the past week. Nearly the same number said, "I wish I hadn´t done that" as those who said "I wish I had done that." But when asked to consider their life´s largest regrets, the vast majority said they were more troubled about missed opportunities. As John Greenleaf Whittier wrote, "Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been'."

Some missed oportunities are larger than others. Jesus told a parable to explain that God gives each of us responsibilities in His kingdom. In the story, each servant was given one, two or five bags of silver based on what he could handle. The servant who received one bag went and buried it because, as he told his "harsh" master, "I was afraid I would lose your money" (Matthew 25:24-25).

Do we pass up kingdom opportunities because of fear? If we believe that our GOd is a good King, we can trust Him enough to try new things.

Sometimes our problem is more sinister. The master told the servant with the one bag that he was "wicked and lazy", for he could have earned interest by depositing the silver in a bank (vv. 26-27).

Do we pass up kingdom opportunities because we´d rather not be bothered? If we believe God has gifted us to serve others, then we´d better serve them. The consequences can be dire, as the "useless servant" in Jesus' story was thrown "into outer darkness" (v.30).

God has given us one life to live for Him. Let´s do so with no regrets. - Mike Wittmer

Read
Matthew 25:14-30
Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 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.
After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. "Master," he said, "you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more."
His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master´s happiness!"
The man with the two talents also came, "Master," he said, "You entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more."
His master replied, "well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master´s happiness!"
Then the man who had received the one talent came. "Master," he said, "I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you."
His master replied, "You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest."
"Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Luke 16:19-31
There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man´s table. Even the dogs came and liked his sores.
The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham´s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, "Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire."
But Abraham replied, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us."
He answered, "Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father´s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment."
Abraham replied, "They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them."
"No, father Abraham," he said, "But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent."
He said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."

Question to Ponder
How will you serve God today?
What talents, gifts or resources should you be using for His glory?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue