Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Given vs. Entrusted

I have just read a passage in Luke 12, verse 48. It says that basically those that are given much will be demanded much of: and those that are in entrusted much, much more will be asked.

Lord Jesus, please help me to understand the difference from given and then demanded and entrusted and then asked much. I do not have my Greek translation thingy with me, but I am going to try to do this just on Your leading and then I will check back when I have more time to sit with this. (I am soaking from running this morning in the rain and am getting colder by the second.)

I would say one You have to demand something of would have less of a trust factor. Yes, that person may have been obedient, but it was after much enforcing or threatening or with repercussions/consequences. It is no fun when I have to demand my kids to brush their teeth. And many times I have to threaten a spankin' or time out or such! That is no fun to demand them to eat their dinner. It just takes all the joy out of something when you have to demand they do something or not do something.

So when we ask something of God and He comes through (given) and then has to demand another action, it is taking all the fun of it out for Him I would think in sort of a way and it takes the joy out of it for us as well, I would assume. I might be grabbing at straws here. (if you are reading this, give me some input...)

But it seems like there is a second level to this. First level is we ask, God gives and then demand something else of us. Our reaction to His demand is the very thing that might take us to the next level of entrusting. He sees that we we have taken His demands with great responsibility, with great passion, and with great humility and therefore He possibly entrusts with more things! Could this be making any sense? So from that entrusting, He is able to ask more things of us because He has seen a responsible, enthusiastic, and humble servant do as He would want!

Oh Lord - can you find any part of that in my life? Can you find me responsible? Well, I would say most of the time!! But I just like to have so much fun! Can you find me passionate and enthusiastic? Oh yes oh yes, but that it something I need to keep under control sometimes. I find myself running over people with ideas and thoughts and visions. Can you find me humble? I wish more times than I see or know!! Work on me Lord. Make me one that is trustworthy! I want you to be able to ask me anything. I want to know your demands and be able to be found faithful! Do a work in me! I love you! Thank you for always being Faithful!!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Leigh, I had to check out your blog out of curiosity and when I read "given vs. entrusted" I too became curious...the message bible has the following to say:

42The Master said, "Let me ask you: Who is the dependable manager, full of common sense, that the master puts in charge of his staff to feed them well and on time? 43-44He is a blessed man if when the master shows up he's doing his job. 45But if he says to himself, "The master is certainly taking his time,' begins maltreating the servants and maids, throws parties for his friends, and gets drunk, 46the master will walk in when he least expects it, give him the thrashing of his life, and put him back in the kitchen peeling potatoes.

47"The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. 48 But if he does a poor job through ignorance, he'll get off with a slap on the hand. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!"

Kind of reminds me of Spider Man...but I think it's just saying the greater the gifts, the greater the responsibilities?

Blessings to you,
Amy

Anonymous said...

P.S. I was laughing so hard about the "Greek translation thingy!"