How are we managing what God has given us?
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Once we receive Jesus Christ as our only and sufficient Savior, we are assured of having eternal life with Jesus forever in heaven, but this doesn't end there; we also have the great opportunity and honor of serving Him here on earth.
For we know that if our earthly house, this tabernacle, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 And for this reason we also groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly habitation; 3 for thus we shall be found clothed, and not naked. 4 For we who are in this tabernacle also groan in anguish, not wanting to be stripped, but to be clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 But he who made us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
##### As children of God, we are very certain that we are saved, and this takes away our worry about where we will spend all eternity. We are certain that we will be forever with Jesus in paradise. This is a great and blessed assurance.
##### But salvation is not just about that; it is not just about entering heaven. Salvation allows us to live a life that shows the love of Christ. We can live like Him here on earth with all the privileges He has promised us through His word. Let us remember that in a moment we will be face to face and He will ask us to account for how we have used our gifts and talents, what we have done with the opportunities we have here on earth.
> For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his servants and delivered to them his goods. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went on a far country. 16 The one who had received the five talents went and traded with them and gained five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one who had received the two talents gained two more. 18 But the one who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 Then he who had received five talents came and brought five more talents, saying, "Master, you delivered to me five talents; behold, I have gained five more talents on them." 21 His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things; enter into the joy of your master." 22 He who had received two talents also came and said, "Master, you delivered to me two talents; behold, I have gained two more talents on them." 23 His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things; enter into the joy of your master." 24 But he who had received one talent also came and said, "Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 Therefore I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Here is what is yours. 26 His master answered and said to him, "You wicked and lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 Therefore you should have given my money to the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back what is mine with interest. 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 For to him who has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And throw the worthless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Matthew 25:14-30
##### In this previous parable, Jesus has expressed to us how important it is to invest wisely, to invest everything that God has placed in our hands, whether it be resources, different gifts, or talents. Here we see the importance of all this: it's not how much we have, but how we use what we have in our hands. We take what God gives us, and how do we use it? Are we generous or are we selfish? We must use our abilities to serve God, so that others may share in what we enjoy here on earth today.
##### Let us consider today all these blessings we have and make the best decision about how to live here on earth. Let us remember that it is not God's responsibility, it is our responsibility for how we will live here.