Use What You Have Been Blessed with Well

Monday, May 18th, 2026

4:18 am

Good morning! Today I am in Luke 19:11-27. As Jesus was nearing Jerusalem, He told the crowd around Him a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would come right away. He told them that a nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king. Before he left, he called in 10 of his servants, and divided 10 pounds of silver among them. He told them to invest it for him until he returned. His people hated him, so when he left they sent a delegate to tell him that they did not want him to be king. When the king returned, he called those 10 servants back in to find out what their profits were. The first servant told him that he invested the money and made 10 times more than what he had been given. The king told him, "Well done! You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of 10 cities as your reward.(Luke 19:17)" The next servant came in and told the king that he had invested the money and made 5 times as much as he had been given. The king told him well done, and gave him 5 cities to be governor over. The third servant came back with the same amount he had been given, telling the king that he hid the money because he was afraid of the king. He told the king that he was a hard man to deal with, taking what isn't his. The king became angry, and told him that if he knew he was a hard man to deal with, why did't he at least put the money in a bank so it could draw interest? The king ordered the others to take the money from him, and to give it to the man who had earned 10 times as much. The others protested saying that he already had 10 pounds of silver. The king told them, "Yes, and to those who use well what they were given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. (Luke 19:26)" Then the king told them to bring in his enemies, that didn't want him to be king, and execute them before him.

Jesus told the people this story because they were expecting a king that would end the reign of the Roman empire and would set up his earthly kingdom. But Jesus was telling them that His Kingdom was not going to be what they expected or would happen when they expected. But that He would first have to go away, and while He was gone His followers were to be faithful and productive while He was gone. While He is gone He wants His people to use what He has given them and multiply it. Not just sitting around doing nothing, and saving and hiding the blessing He has given us. He blesses us with gifts, talents, and resources to use to build His Kingdom. And when He does come back, or He calls us home, we will be judged on how we have used what He blessed us with while we were alive. And for those who use what He blesses us with while we are alive, more will be given to us. We start off with a little, and if we use it well, He trusts us to handle more. A little at a time.

God is the one that blesses us with every single thing we have. And He wants to bless us with more. But we have to steward all of our resources well. Are you using what He has blessed you with well? Helping others and multiplying what He has given you. Or selfishly hiding and storing it all for yourself? God wants you to use your gifts and talents to build up His Kingdom here on earth. To help His people. Seek His guidance in how to use your resources well, and He will guide you. And just like the king in the story, if you don't accept Him or want Him to be king, you will be cast out. It is up to us how we spend our lives here on earth, and up to us to make the decision to faithfully, trust and follow Jesus or not. The choice is ours.