What Are You Doing With What You Have ?

The human nature is such that is never satisfied. The desire for more is however not in itself a bad thing because we are made for so much more. It becomes a problem when we do not appreciate what we already have. We strive for more resources, status, friends, yet it seems like we can never have enough because it is truly never going to be enough if you do not appreciate what it is that you already have.

The question God has for every steward is ” What are you doing with what you have?” It is interesting to know that no steward can answer this question for the other, considering that it is a personal question that requires an individual response. Contrary to what a lot of people try to make others believe, God is not unjust or inconsiderate and he definitely has no reason to withhold from us greater or better things. One thing He is interested in when we ask for more is ” I want to understand how well you have managed the little or so much I have given to you.

Luke 12:16-21( NIV)

“And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

” It is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

There is something interesting about this lesson Jesus was tryin to teach us about greed and it is that God Himself was the one who blessed the harvest of the man in this parable yet he had no place for God in all his plans for the bigger harvest he planned to have. The simple question is ” Will you commit more into the hands of such a person?” Why then do we paint God in a bad light and accuse Him of not doing more through and for us when we have failed in a little?

This man was asking for more when he had no intention of making the right use of what was made available to him initially. Sadly, God saw his act as foolish and indeed it was foolish because someone else would end up owning what he had labored for because He put God out of the equation. Nothing you are, have or will ever become is as a result of your doing. Acknowledge this and give God His rightful place as the Owner and Giver of all things, which means letting Him do as He pleases with what He has given you and you remaining grateful as a result.

There is no point asking for more when you have not made proper use of the one you have. This makes us look like a child who has lots of toys that he has left unused but still asks for more. God is not a waster of resources. He loves to take account of all things.

God is always out out to test how strategically and generously we handle the resources we control at the moment and when we are found to be faithful or unfaithful in stewardship, He reserves the right to multiply or withdraw such resources. After all, they were His all the while, He only made us stewards of such. This plays out in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25: 14- 30.

Funny how this plays out in our lives when we wrongly crave for more as a result of not appreciating what we already have. The three servants in this parable were given five, two and one talent respectively. The first two servants received words of commendation because they were found faithful in stewardship considering that they appreciated what they had, multiplied it and reverenced the giver. This earned them the words of commendation and the grace to have much more.

Matthew 25:21, 23

“His master replied, ‘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!”

The third servant who concluded within himself that he deserved than the master had given him, failed to produce anything with what his master gave him. His lack of appreciation cost him the little he already had.

Matthew 25: 28

“So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags.”

Before you complain about what you do not have, take a moment to ask yourself this sincere question “What am I doing with what I have?” When you are done answering this question, go ahead and tell yourself the truth about you needing more or not.

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Temitope Akinrotimi

Temitope is the founder of thesoulmeal.com, an online platform that she shares with her God-given spiritual family and friends. She is a speaker, teacher and youth counselor. She is passionate about inspiring people to find their identity in Christ. Catch her interviewing inspiring leaders on Tongue of the Learned Podcast