I watch the stories of those who succeed, and I see truly the words of Jesus are real: the greatest needs to be servant of all, OF ALL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVLm9ZUCJns&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL84gvKWrEc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_P3Hrq7UMw

These people (mostly children) just want to offer their best. Those who are remembered the most, the most vividly, with the memories that remain the cherished above all, are those who simply offer what God has given them to serve the greatest amount or quantity of people as much as they can. Is this not the reason our children are becoming major stars on stage and screen? Is this not the words of Jesus coming to life in the lives of our children and communities? God is using the simplicity of a child's purity and uninhibited service-oriented performance for excellence to shame the self-centered, disgusting greed of their elders. Truly, this is the fulfillment of those who gave their talents to "the money changers" in order to reap the most interest of their talent back to God. I see these are intimately connected, service is the key.

Therein lies the key to life that so many have discovered, but so many more do not understand. Therein is the true open door for all to take that many will never understand. Therein is the true wisdom and protection of the Lord for everyone who offers their lives up to this cause: just simply give what you have back to humanity. Was that not the actions of Jesus himself? Was that not at the end of the day what all others have done in the past? The longstanding heretidge of the great people of the past? Nothing can bring a larger blessing than the offering of our talents, and that is the real issue--our TRUE talents. We can never hope to serve in a capacity that God has not blessed for us to do. We can never be someone or do something that is obviously not the way we are wired, the part of our very nature that has been set in place for the service that it was meant for, just as a tree is planted by God by the river to shade, and protect those near it, to feed and be fed from the river by which it was planted. So too, are we in the place where the Almighty has planted us.

In this, all He simply desires from us is to produce the fruit we were meant to create and to offer it to the world's people, so that they all might share in and enjoy, and spread the good fruit which he has designed us to make, and create, in service to all. That, coincidentally, is also the nature of sin--to disqualify us from the prize of this service, to waste our time, effort, resources, and talent on a worthless, serviceless, self-absorbed activity that has no lasting, growing, joyful fruit. Service to others with who and what we are is the true answer. Hence James challenges us with his poignant admonition: if you know the good you ought to do, and do not do it, you sin; from which the words and example of Jesus save us once again: I have not come to be served but to serve and to give my life. . . Amen Lord Jesus, come, and fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may live this unshakable wisdom you have predestined me to live, that all may share in the blessing!


Lord, I am ready now: let me serve; let me offer my life in the talents you have given for others' fruitfullness! Amen.