opportunity from you to learn to re ceive from it. The second time this verse occurs is in Matthew 25:29. This one occurs at the end of the parable of the talents. The Lord told this illustration to re mind the people that everyone is given a gift. The difference all depends upon how our gifts are used. If you care about that which the Lord has given to you, He will give you more. If not, then even what you have may be taken away from you. You may have the gift to play the piano and yet in stead of hitting all the notes, you try to get over some of the bad ones. If you don’t care whether you play well or not, you will not have the opportunity to increase your quality. I was in a young people’s meeting one time where the girl leading the music gave out a hymn written in 4/4 time but the one playing the piano was doing so in 44 time. I want to tell you that would curdle buttermilk. It was simply terrible. The young lady leading the singing said, “I thought I knew this old hymn.” I went over to the pianist who was a beautiful girl about 16 or 17. I said, “Young lady, you see the tempo is written in 4/4 time and you’re toying to play it in 44 time. That won’t work. Play it in 4/4 time and it will go nicely. I know you can do it.” She turned her pretty nose up at me, shook her curls a couple of times, got up off the bench and said, “Play it yourself!” She stomped to the back of the room in a pout. To her as tonishment I did sit down and I played it. This young woman didn’t want to improve her quality and abilities. This is what the Lord is talking about in this parable. If you teach a Sunday school class learn how to make it better and more interesting. God will reward you for it. The next time this verse is found is in Mark 4:25. “For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.” This portion refers to what we hear. Notice the preceding verse, “Take heed what ye hear.” The Lord is saying, “If you want to hear
the truth I will give you the oppor tunity of doing so.” But if you do not care what you hear, if you would just as soon listen to the devil and the things of this world, then He will take away any opportunity of hearing what- -soever. How many people are guilty of listening to gossip. I am afraid some folks need to have a sign over their heads saying, “Dirt may be dumped here.” In Luke 8:18 there is the fourth ref erence given. Again a preface is stated, “Take heed therefore how ye hear.” This is different for some people listen with no intention of doing what is in structed. The Lord reminds us that if we don’t care how we hear that it will come to pass that we won’t be able to hear at all. If you do care how you hear, however, then the Lord will give you more and more opportunity to listen to the precious truths of His Word. The final reference is found in Luke 19:26. This time it is the parable of the pounds. At the end of the story the quotation is given. This time the Lord is talking about the quantity of your work. How much you actually do. If you learn to play the piano, God wants you to learn to do a lot of other things. If you’re teaching a Bible class, He expects you to know how to teach oth ers and do more. The interesting thing is that in all these cases common sense is to prevail. The Lord is telling us something to bless our own hearts and lives. Let me urge you to go in for the things of God with all your heart and mind. Use good judgment and settle it in your own mind that you’re going to be a man or woman of God and accomplish something really important for eternity. The man who wants to remove mountains will begin by carrying away the small stones. * * * * * * One of the best things parents can spend on their children is time . . . not money! * We wouldn't have so many problems and difficulties with others if we let opportunity do all of the knocking. 10 * *
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