He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (Ephesians 4:28, NIV)
Imagine a teacher asking her students what they want to do when they grow up. One little girl says, “First, I’m going to be a secretary, then a nurse, then a mother, and finally a teacher.”
Surprised, the teacher says, “My, you’re going to be very busy!”
“Yes,” she says, “and the sooner I get started, the sooner I can retire.”
[tweet_box design=”default”]Retirement may mean the end of your paid work but not the end of your usefulness.[/tweet_box]
Retirement may mean the end of your paid work, but retirement never means the end of your usefulness. As long as you have life in you, God has work for you to do. There is a contribution you can make, something you can share with others.
God has entrusted you with time, talent, and treasure. How are you using these to make a contribution to the lives of others? You have been trusted with the Holy Spirit and with gifts for ministry. How are you using your talents to contribute to the needs of others? If we squander God’s gifts, we’re stealing from God by not using what he gave us, and we’re stealing from others by withholding what God intended them to receive through us!
‘Stealing’ means trying to get as much as possible, while giving as little as possible. Keeping the eighth commandment means having a change of heart. Instead of saying, “How much can I get? How little can I give?” the new heart says, “Having receiving so much, how much can I give?”
How are you using your talents to contribute to the needs of others?
