From today's In Touch Devotional...

Judgment for Believers??

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

As believers in Christ, we are assured of our salvation. We need not fear eternity, because we know we will dwell with the heavenly Father forever in paradise. What blessed assurance!

But salvation is about more than just getting into heaven. It’s about the process of becoming increasingly like Jesus while living on earth. In fact, we’ll someday be asked to account for the way we used our opportunities, abilities, and resources.

In His parable of the talents, Jesus shared the importance of investing wisely all that our Father has bestowed on us. (See Matt. 25:14-30.) God gives His children different types and amounts of wealth, gifts, blessings, and circumstances. What matters to the Lord is the way we make use of them, not how much we have. Do we take what He has given and selfishly utilize it all for our own good and protection? Or do we generously and cheerfully use those gifts and talents to serve Jesus Christ? These are the questions that Christians will answer at the believers’ judgment.

Of course, this accountability won’t be the basis for our spending eternity in heaven (that issue is settled when we trust in Christ). Rather, we will be rewarded for the way we invested our life. And if we didn’t spend our time and resources wisely, we will experience loss.

Consider your blessings. How do you utilize all that the heavenly Father has bestowed upon you—namely, time, abilities, and finances? Each one of us must choose how we are going to live. It is our responsibility to be faithful servants of the living God, doing whatever He calls us to do.

This devotion really speaks to me. I'm not sure if it's because I like to be recognized for my talents and abilities and I look forward to that or if it's because I want to be given a special task in heaven based on my faithful abilities here on earth. I just hope when the time comes that God will look back on my life and see that I haven't been lazy or selfish with what He's given me. I know that I don't always remember to pay it forward, to bless others as I have been blessed and to take care of the gifts that I've been given. But, it's something that I do work towards. It's a character trait I'd like to cultivate in my children and one I hope they learn to love and pass down to their children for generations to come.

What about you? What methods do you use to teach your children to serve others and to look outside themselves by using their talents and abilities to further God's Kingdom?

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