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HOW GOD ACTS

    An old joke tells of a man who bought a run down farm and spent three years of hard work and a lot of money developing it.  One day his preacher came by and complimented him saying, “It’s great what you and the Lord have done with this place.”  “Yeah.  I guess so,” the farmer replied, “but, man, you should have seen it when the Lord had it all by himself.”

Jesus told a similar story to explain how life operates.  He said, “It will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.  To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.  The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.  So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 

But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.  After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.  The man who had received the five talents brought the other five.  ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 

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 man with the two talents also came.  ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ 

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!’ 

Then the man who had received the one talent came.  ‘Master,’ he said . . . I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 

His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! . . . You should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.’ 

‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.  For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him” (Matt.  25:14-29).

    In this parable the “owner” (God) went into a far country leaving his resources in the hands of his “servants” (us).  It’s significant that He did not give specific instructions on what they were to do.  Furthermore, He did not interfere with their decisions and actions while He was away.  Instead, He expected initiative and responsibility on their part.  This clearly establishes the roles of God in Heaven and mankind on earth.

    God created a consistent universe, with immutable laws.  “I am the Lord.  I do not change . . .” (Mal. 3:6a, edb).

God gave mankind total authority over physical things.  “God blessed them and said . . .’Fill the earth and be its master . . . Rule over every living thing that moves on the earth’ ” (Gen.  1:28, edb);

    The Psalmist asked, “Why is man important to you? . . . You crowned him with glory and honor.  You put him in charge of everything you made.  You put all things under his control” (Psa.  8:4-6, edb).

    Now, if God put all things under our control, then the only way He can accomplish His purposes on earth is through human beings.  One woman saw starving children and prayed, “Oh, God, why don’t You do something about this?”  God replied, “I did do something, my child.  I made you.”

    We are God’s legitimate agents of change.  An old poem says:

    God has no hands but our hands
        To do His work today.
    He has no feet but our feet,
        To walk the narrow way.
    He has no mouth but our mouth,
        To warn of death and sin.
    He has no lives, but our lives,
        To bring His Kingdom in.

    This story shows that God doesn’t over-ride our free-will.  He allows us to succeed or fail.  He never breaks down the door in order to enter our lives.  He said, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev.  3:20).

    If opening the door and establishing a relationship depends on our decision, then God must wait on us to spread His message, to do good deeds, and to solve problems.  This explains why “bad things happen to good people.”  It also explains why there are limits to what God can do.  It explains how God answers prayer.

    Suppose, when we need a certain book, we go into a library and pray for help.  Now, if that book is not in the building, God doesn’t wave a magic wand and cause it to materialize or use “presto-digitation” to make it fly over from a nearby store.  However, if the book is in the building, God can help us locate it by using our own abilities.

    Likewise, God doesn’t manufacture new legs for an amputee.  But if an illness can be alleviated by lowering our stress levels, or finding the right doctor, or developing the right medicine, then God can help us get well by using our own abilities.

    So, how does God accomplish His purposes?  Well, he works through our minds by jogging our memory, deepening our insights and increasing our thirst for knowledge.  But we must do our part by desiring to learn and exercising mental discipline though reasoning.

    God works through our hearts or emotions by sending urges, influencing decisions and speaking through our consciences.  But we must do our part by keeping lines of communication open and being willing to follow Spiritual leading.

    God works through our lives by disclosing problems that we can solve and revealing opportunities that we can take advantage of.  But we must do our part by being available for service by responding and using our energy and all available resources to create a better world.

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(WC1048