Rich Will Get Richer

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Friday, April 13, 2007 - Principles of Sowing and Reaping

Strange as it may seem, the Bible does say that the rich will get richer and the poor get poorer. In fact, Jesus made that statement several times.

I remind you of the parable of the talents. The servant with only one talent failed to use it, while the two who were given two talents and five talents worked hard and doubled their talents. When the master comes back to review the servants' productivity, he gives the top rating to these two servants: "Well done, good and faithful servant." Each of them had doubled their talents, and they were equally rewarded, though one had twice as much as the other.

But to the servant who hid his one talent and failed to use it, the master said, "You wicked, lazy slave. You knew better. Why didn't you at least put it in the bank and earn interest on my money? Because you haven't done a thing with the one talent I gave you, I will take it from you and give it to the servant who has ten."

There you go again: the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. But who's fault was it? Was the master unfair to this servant who had failed to use his one talent? No, indeed, for if that servant had done anything at all with his talent so as to use it effectively, he would not have lost it and he would have been given more.

Do you feel like you've been passed by in the resources department? Everybody else seems to have more than you–more talent, more ability, more opportunities, nicer circumstances, etc. Well, stop and think a minute. Could it be that the reason you haven't been given more is because you haven't used what you've got for Jesus?

Jesus told us in Luke 16:10: "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." You can't be careless and irresponsible with what you have, and then expect God to give you more. You can't use the excuse that you'll give back to God when you have more to give. You'll never have more to give until you give of what you have.