Fear = Avoid

Matthew 25:15, 25

And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth; lo, there thou hast that is thine.

All of us, who read the Bible, know this story that Jesus gave us as an example of the Kingdom of Heaven.

I really enjoy studying the Word of God. One of my favorites is to go and dig the meaning of the words in Hebrew and in Greek, to see if there is anything I could miss by reading the scriptures in English. I had never had a case, where I was not astonished at the Word. The meaning is so much deeper, than what we read.

Allow me to tell you what does this story mean, using Greek and Hebrew translations.

When we read that man gave to each of his servants talents, according to his several ability, in English it sounds a little awkward. The word "own" here means: "properly, uniquely one's own, peculiar to the individual" translated from Greek. In other words the man knew exactly what his servants are good for. And according to what he knew, he gave the talents. In our today's life, somebody can walk in the house and look around and know how exactly turn the furniture around, so the house would look completely new and perfect.

Another individual can grow plants and flowers, just by watering them and whispering to them. I know this is not my gift, because the only plant that survived in my hands was cactus. Now, when my husband waters flowers and talks to them, it is amazing to see how the flower or the plant grows.

The word "ability" means "for the believer, power to achieve by applying the Lord's inherent abilities. "Power through God's ability" from Greek. Or "miraculous power and strength".

To summarize, each one of us has abilities and talents. If we use them, we can bring something out of it. Especially knowing that this power came from God to us, even to perform miracles.

Next verse, that I think, has a hidden meaning, is verse 25.

The last servant said: "I was afraid". Actually the deep meaning of the word "afraid" is "withdraw, flee, avoid".

Is there something in your life you avoid? Is there something that you know you need to do, but you flee from it? One example I remembered just now. One young lady had a tough life. She had kids, she was taking care of them, her husband just started ministry and life was difficult. In the house where they lived, they had a guest bedroom, there this lady was putting all her laundry on the bed. With time, clothes collected and the room became not a bedroom anymore, but a big laundry room. She said, that she would go there and just dig something out for that day and put it on.

As she started to seek God in her life, one of the first thing God directed her to do is to clean "the laundry room", it took her about a week. When the room became cleaned up, the same room became her Bible study room. Through this experience she understood that things matter. She is now about 70 years old and when she walks in the house, she knows exactly what can be done and she is one of the best home stylist I know. All started from just cleaning guest bedroom.

Let's get back to verse 25, the word "earth" means soil, arena we live in, physical ground. That speaks here to me about our flesh. Our flesh is made out of earth, physical ground. And if we continue to walk in flesh in our physical abilities and arena we see every day around us, we will not bring anything out of it.

If we look on our circumstances with our physical eyes and think that God is hard man, reaps where he hast not sown and gathers where he hast not strawed (verse 24)... well, then, not much will happen, or nothing at all.

If God is speaking to you about extra weight and loosing that weight - get on the task. If He tells you to clean a guest bedroom, take 20 minutes a day and in a week's time, the bedroom will be clean. If He tells you not to avoid certain task - don't avoid it. Many people think that God speaks on big matters. Far from truth. I know personally that God through His Holy Spirit is engaged in every area of our lives. He does tell us about big things, but He also speaks to us about little things.

Don't flee from God's instruction, don't avoid His direction. Fear in this scripture represents refusal of the servant to implement in life what God had already give him talent to do. Why? There is a reward in the end? Why would somebody refuse from gain?

1. Some don't want it. Some say, "Oh, Don't need to speak in tongues, I don't need prosperity." Imagine God is ready and already given the people His gifts and they refuse to take the gifts.

2. Some people don't take time to analyze what they are good at. They don't even know they have talents.

3. Some people don't believe that God will reward them, or has willingness to do what was promised.

4. Some know about talents, they know God will help, but somehow in life, they get busy and distracted and loos the sight of events and miss out on His Blessing.

Now, there are some, just like in Mark 4:20 who will bring to God thirty, sixty and some a hundred fold return.

Which category are you in? Are you willing to go a step forward? Are you going to trust God or are you going to flee? Ask yourself these questions today and go after God, the reward is surely coming!!!