It ÿwas ÿin the bag. ÿHe was clutching it like it ÿwas ÿthe
last ÿthing he owned. ÿAnd it was. ÿThe attendants had to pry ÿit
from ÿhis ÿhands. ÿWhen they opened it, ÿthey ÿfound ÿover ÿ3000
dollars, ÿÿmostly small bills. ÿBy some standards, ÿhe might ÿbe
considered rich, but you see, he wasn't. He was poor, ÿwandering
the ÿstreets, ÿsleeping in alleys and doorways, ÿbegging for food
and ÿmoney. ÿÿHe ÿhad found a good area where ÿthe ÿpeople ÿwere
generous. ÿHe asked and they gave. Yet, when they found him, dead
from ÿthe ÿcold and lack of good food, ÿhis clothes were old ÿand
dirty, ÿand his pockets were empty. ÿAll he had was that bag ÿand
3000 dollars. What happened?
What ÿhappened is that he failed to follow one of the ÿmost
important ÿteachings in the Bible. ÿGod's principle of Use. ÿThis
same ÿprinciple is rarely applied in many of our own lives, ÿÿand
yet it is easily recognized as "missing" ÿin others. The man with
the bag failed to apply the principle. ÿHe was keeping all he had
hid in a paper bag. He was saving for a rainy day. He was so busy
saving ÿfor an unsure future, ÿhe failed to see the storm ÿaround
him, ÿÿand he ended up dead on the sidewalk, ÿclutching his ÿonly
belonging. It was in the bag.
That which he cared so much about is now useless to him. ÿHe
didn't use what he had. ÿHe kept it hid in a bag, while he wasted
away. He didn't spend a cent for food, clothing, or anything. ÿHe
kept saving, saving, saving! Now it's too late. He didn't use it.
It was in the bag.
Are ÿyou holding on to all you have? ÿAre you afraid to ÿuse
it? Are you saving for a rainy day? Don't! Don't die holding the
bag! ÿÿGod wants you to use your talents and your resources. ÿÿHe
gave ÿthem ÿto you, ÿnot so you can hide them in a bag, ÿÿbut ÿto
display ÿto ÿall ÿfor His Glory! ÿJesus, ÿin the parable ÿof ÿThe
Talents, ÿÿwas pleased at the servants that used what ÿthey ÿwere
given ÿand ÿangry at the servant that buried his portion ÿin ÿthe
ground. ÿ(See Matt. ÿ25:14) ÿJesus even instructs us not to ÿsave
treasures ÿon ÿearth where moth and dust ÿcorrupt, ÿÿand ÿthieves
steal, ÿbut to save treasures in heaven, ÿfor where our treasures
are, our heart will be also. (Matt. 6:19)
