Faithful with What He Has Given – by Jeff Goss

“For God so loved the world that He gave His very best—His Son, Jesus—so that we could have a personal relationship with Him and spend eternity in heaven.” That truth changes everything. Since Jesus gave His life for us, the natural response is to give our best—our time, our gifts, and our whole hearts—back to Him.

The beautiful reality is this: God has already placed something valuable in each of us. Every believer has been given unique talents, abilities, experiences, and a personal testimony. Our responsibility is not to compare ourselves with others, but to be faithful with what we’ve been entrusted.

In Matthew 25, Jesus shares the parable of the talents. The servants who faithfully used what they were given were rewarded. But the servant who hid his talent and failed to steward it well was called “wicked and slothful.” The message is clear: faithfulness matters deeply to God. What we do with what He has given us has eternal significance.

Our talents and testimonies are powerful tools for the Gospel.

I first heard the message of salvation from a Kansas City Chiefs football player and other college athletes and coaches at a Christian football camp held at Sterling College in Kansas. They used their platform in sports to reach young people like me with the life-changing truth of Jesus Christ. God used their influence to speak directly to my heart.

But influence doesn’t only come from athletes or public figures.

God uses former drug addicts, former gang members, and those who have been rescued from lives of immorality—just as He used the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4. After encountering Jesus, her testimony brought many in her town to believe in Him.

He used Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus delivered from seven demons. He used the demon-possessed man from the region of the Gadarenes, telling him to go home and declare how much the Lord had done for him. A transformed life becomes a living testimony.

God also gifts some with the ability to generate resources and wealth—not for personal glory, but to bless the Kingdom. Zacchaeus, the wealthy tax collector in Luke 19, encountered Jesus and was so transformed that he pledged to give half of his possessions to the poor. When the heart changes, generosity follows.

Others are gifted with creativity and craftsmanship. We’ve seen this firsthand at farm shows and outreach events. A woman from Iowa faithfully makes beautiful potholders and donates them so they can be given away as gifts—simple items that open doors for Gospel conversations. What may seem small in our hands can become significant in God’s hands.

The question for each of us is this: What has God entrusted to me?

Is it leadership? Hospitality? Farming? Business? Teaching? Craftsmanship? A testimony of redemption? Financial resources? Encouragement? Prayer?

Whatever it is, seek the Lord about how He wants you to use it. Ask Him to show you where your gifts can serve His purposes. Then step forward in faith and use what He has given you.

One day, we will stand before Him. May we hear those precious words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Be faithful with what He has placed in your hands—and watch how He uses it for eternity.