| In Discipleship Journal Paul
Thigpen writes: 'I remember coming home one afternoon to discover that
the kitchen I had worked so hard to clean only a few hours before, was
now a terrible wreck. My young daughter had obviously been busy
'cooking' and the ingredients were scattered, along with dirty bowls and
utensils, across the counters and floor. I was not happy with the
situation. Then, as I looked a little more closely at the mess I spied a
tiny note on the table, clumsily written and smeared with chocolatey
fingerprints. The message was short-'I'm makin somethin 4 you, dad'-and
it was signed, 'your angel.' In the midst of that disarray, and despite
my irritation, joy suddenly sprang up in my heart, sweet and pure. My
attention had been redirected from the problem to the little girl I
loved. As I encountered her in that brief note, I delighted in her. With
her simple goodness in focus, I could take pleasure in seeing her hand
at work in the situation that seemed otherwise disastrous.' In the
parable of the talents, Jesus pointed out that the two servants who
invested and multiplied what had been entrusted to them received the
Master's highest commendation: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'
On the other hand, the servant who buried his gifts rather than risk and
lose, received the Master's harshest condemnation: '...You wicked and
lazy servant...' (v. 26 NKJV). Commendation or condemnation: which will
you receive? God doesn't say, 'If you can't do it right, don't do it at
all.' No, He's pleased when you try, make mistakes, learn from them and
grow. So keep trying!Culled: The Word for TODAY Devotional Archive |
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