I yam what I yam (Popeye the Sailor)

Overall, I’m a cheerful person. Hey I’m just calling it like God sees it. At least that’s God’s story and I’m sticking to it!

I know it and that’s important. I know how God made me and what talents He’s given to me to use to share the Good News about Jesus with others. Maturing to the point in my life were I accepted that and embraced His will for my life is freeing.

My new friend whose blog is Ansonia’s Alabaster Box blew me away with her post on 9/26/18 entitled Your Gift, Your Responsibility. Through circumstances in her life, she gained an understanding, “that what God called her to was her gift, and that it’s her responsibility!” She further states realizing that was a “splendid deliverance.”

As I see it, that responsibility is between you and God. He gave you your talents and you are using them for His Kingdom and His glory. A talent is a special, often creative or artistic aptitude, natural ability. (MW) A gift is a special ability. (MW) In the Bible a talent is a unit of measurement equal to seventy-five pounds, usually made of gold or silver. To give you a basis of its value in gold with a current value of $1195.00 an ounce. (9/28/18) There are twelve troy ounces in a pound, which equals $14,430 x seventy-five pounds in a talent = $1,075,500.00

For further clarification, in the footnote in Luke 19:13 (NIV) it states that one talent equals 60 minas, and one mina is equal to three months wages. 60 minas x 3 months =180 months divided by 12 months in a year, or 15 years to earn a talent! At the time of Jesus a talent was worth more than $1000.

Which brings us to the parable starting in Matthew 25:14. A man was going on a trip and brought his three servants together. Before he left, he gave the first servant five talents ($5,377,500). He gave the second servant two talents ($2,151,000). He gave the last servant one talent ($1,075,500). Each was given according to his ability. After a long time the man returned and asked for an accounting from each servant on what they did with the talents he gave them.

The first two servants replied that they doubled the talents he entrusted to them. He told them, “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.” (Matt. 25:21 [NIV])

The last servant told the man he knew he was a hard man and so he just buried his talents. The master told him he was a wicked and lazy servant, who should of at the very least, put the talents in a bank to earn some interest.

The current interest rate on a savings account is .01 x $1,075,500 = $10,755. I’d be happy with that, wouldn’t you?

Do you want to be a servant of Jesus who puts to use the talents He has entrusted to you, or are you going to bury you talent, not even doing the basic minimum with it?

“God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but the all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, to all kinds of people!” (1 Cor. 12:4-9 [MSG])

I know my gift is encouragement. Just knowing that is my gift is a “splendid deliverance!” I don’t have to struggle finding my place. I am free to be who I am and use my talent for the glory of God.

“Therefore encourage one another and build up each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thes. 5:11 [NIV])

“If you have the grace-gift of encouragement, then use it often to encourage others.” (Rom. 12:8 [TPT]) In the footnote it also says, “ To be alongside of someone, to comfort, encourage, console, strengthen, exhort, and stir up faith.”

“Nothing is more appealing than speaking beautiful, life-giving words, for they release sweetness to our souls and inner healing to our spirits.” (Prov. 16:24 [TPT])

Popeye the Sailor said “I am what I am, and that’s all that I am.” Pretty powerful using a cartoon to issue a statement of self-realization and acceptance.

So if a cartoon guy with a squinky eye and bulgy arms can accept who he is and what he has to do (eat spinach and vanquish bad guys), then we can follow his example. So be aware and keep an open mind, because you can learn lessons from anything. Even cartoons.

Also, eat your spinach!

https://ansoniasalabasterbox.wordpress.com/2018/09/26/your-gift-your-responsibility/

© 2018 Fluffy Puppy Publishing All Rights Reserved