To one he gave five talents [probably about $5,000], to another two, to another one—to each in proportion to his own personal ability. Then he departed and left the country. – Matthew 25:15, Amplified Bible (AMP)

God knows what abilities we have, for He is the one who gave them to us. At different stages of our lives, He will give us opportunities to use those abilities for His glory, and if we choose to do so, we will be rewarded. If, however, we choose to use our talents in some way other than to grow His kingdom, we run the risk of having our opportunities for service taken away and given to another.

At this very moment of your life, you have God-given talents, and God wants you to invest those talents in the lives of other people. When you apply your God-given abilities in service to others, you unleash the power of the Holy Spirit upon the needy souls of those around you. When you bury your talents, however, no one benefits from the abilities God has entrusted to you, and this displeases The Lord sorely.

In Matthew 25:26, the master of the parable excoriated the servant who buried his talent, calling him wicked, lazy, and idle. To avoid having those same words directed at us, we must apply our God-given talents for the benefit of the people in our homes, in our social circles, at church, and in the workplace.

Are you investing in the lives of others? Or, are you too busy investing solely in yourself?