The Living Word: A Daily Devotional with Jeff & Dale from The Jenkins Institute
The Living Word is a daily devotional featuring Scripture and encouragement from Jeff and Dale of The Jenkins Institute. Each episode offers a thoughtful reading to coincide with the daily devotional guides from our annual devotional books. They are designed to help listeners begin or end their day grounded in God’s Word.
The Living Word: A Daily Devotional with Jeff & Dale from The Jenkins Institute
Week 18: Friday, Wasted Opportunities
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During my freshman year of college, my great-uncle drove thirteen hours
to meet with me and encourage me to become a minister like him.
Thanks to a music scholarship, I was blessed to attend a university well-
equipped to instruct students in ministry, though I had not yet chosen to
pursue ministry myself. I enjoyed our meal together in Searcy, AR, but I
was afraid of leading, so I told him, “No, thank you.” Not long after, he
passed away. I never got to tell him, “Thank you.”
Week eighteen, Friday. Wasted opportunities. Today's scripture is Matthew chapter twenty five and verse twenty five by Logan Cates. I am Ricky Berger. During my freshman year of college, my great uncle drove thirteen hours to meet me and encourage me to become a minister like him. Thanks to a music scholarship, I was blessed to attend a university well equipped to instruct students in ministry, though I had not yet chosen to pursue ministry myself. I enjoyed our meal together in Search the Arkansas, but I was afraid of leading. So I told him No, thank you. Not long after he passed away. I never got to tell him thank you. Discouragement will often make us feel like the one talent man. We want to do the right thing, but we will fall short of the glory of God Romans chapter three and verse twenty three. I know I have buried more spiritual opportunities in my life than I've invested. I have overlooked the open doors God has provided me Colossians chapter four and verse three, Revelation chapter three and verse eight. And in fear I hid them in the earth without gaining any interest. I have been wicked and slothful even when it was only one talent. It is possible the one talent man hid his talent because he did not feel he deserved it. Sometimes those who are older bury their talent because they don't feel they have spiritual energy like the five talent young people. Maybe they cannot go on mission trips, cannot assist much on work days, or even teach Bible class or cook meals like they used to. Maybe they cannot stand long periods of time, or maybe they believe there just isn't much use for them anymore. Maybe what they cannot do is clouding what they can. The Lord needs prayer warriors, card senders, encouragers, uplifting barnabuses, and kind guest welcomers. Are you burying your talent? The master needs someone to sit by the lonely, someone to bring candy to the kids at church, and someone to encourage the elders, deacons, and ministers not to quit. I am the one talent guy, trying hard to please God, but failing miserably with my inactivity and refusal to use what God has given me. Today I will wake up and use what God has given me and not grab a shovel to bury it.