“Soapbox, A Microphone, and Some Funeral Chairs”

Matthew 25:14-30… Here we have Jesus telling a story in parables… A farmer had a garden and was going to travel to a far country, so he called his servants. To one, he gave five talents, and to another two talents, and to another one talent. He delivered all his goods into the hands of these three servants and left town. Now, he was coming back to see who was faithful with what he gave them… The one who had five talents had used them and made them ten talents. The one who had two talents invested them and made four talents. The one who had one talent didn’t do anything. All he had to show was “excuses!”

Some people want to work for the Lord if they have “everything to start out with.” When Bobby and I started out in the ministry, we were still very poor, but we wanted to obey God and preach the Gospel. Bobby would say, “We are as broke as Job’s cat!” We had nothing, but we had a soapbox and a microphone. We went to a poor neighborhood and asked a sister in the Lord if we could run the cord through her widow for the microphone. She agreed. We went to the local funeral home and borrowed chairs for our “outdoor congregation!” Sometimes we preached in the rain. We had to ask the “outdoor congregation” (some were alcoholics, and some were prostitutes, etc.) if they would bring in canned foods for us! We did this for several years. Our junk car was always breaking down! It was a small “talent,” but we invested it in the Lord’s work. We were faithful, and God began to bless us, little by little.

Some people want to work for God if “God gives them a new car, a big church, and a lot of money!” But it doesn’t work that way. “You don’t need a whole lot! Just use what little you got!” Today, I encourage you to do what God has called you to do, even if you start with “only one talent!” Have a great day! Sherry