If any man would be more abundantly used of the Lord in His blessed service, let him seek first to be fitted for it more and more. Let him imitate that beloved and honored servant, Moses, in meekness, humility, energy and untiring zeal and self-sacrificing service of the Lord. But the wise steward will seek always to cultivate along the lines of his natural abilities, and not expect the Lord to work a miracle for his advancement, and so waste valuable time seeking to develop that which he does not by nature possess. … Let us each, therefore, seek by humility, by zeal, by love for the Lord and for His cause, by faith in His power, to be in that condition of heart and mind which will make us ready to be used and useful in any department of the Divine service to which the Lord may be pleased to call us—Z '94, 143; '01, 348 (R 1651, 2902).

In the symbols of the Scriptures, the hand represents power. To have something in our hand, therefore, would in general mean to have in our power things that belong to our new heart, mind and will and to our humanity. In particular it would mean to have in our power: knowledge, grace, character, position, time, talents, influence, means, friends, relatives, citizenship, health, life, etc. The Lord desires to have us serve along the lines of what we are and have, and not along the lines of what we are not and do not have. Therefore, in the question of our text, He asks us to consider what we are and have. This question is not for His information but is suggestive, admonishing us to take stock of our stewardship, to the intent that we may be the better enabled to use our stewardship to the glory of the Lord and to the profit of others and ourselves in grace—P '36, 166.

Parallel passages: Psa. 34: 10; 68: 35; 84: 11; Eccles. 2: 26; Isa. 42: 5; Dan. 2: 21-23; Matt. 25: 14, 15; Rom. 12: 6-8; 1 Cor. 1: 5-7; 7: 7; Eph. 4: 7; 1 Tim. 6: 17; Jas. 1: 17; 1 Pet. 4: 10; Luke 12: 47, 48; 19: 12, 13.

Hymns: 134, 14, 160, 8, 191, 208, 277.
Poems of Dawn, 168: My One Talent.
Tower Reading: Z '14, 78 (R 5418).

Questions: What have I done with my talents and opportunities this week? Why? How? With what results?

MY ONE TALENT

IN a napkin smooth and white,
Hidden from all mortal sight,
My one talent lies tonight.

Mine to hoard, or mine to use,
Mine to keep, or mine to lose;
May I not do what I choose?

Ah! the gift was only lent,
With the Giver's known intent
That it should be wisely spent.

And I know He will demand
Every farthing at my hand,
When I in His presence stand.

What will be my grief and shame
When I hear my humble name,
And cannot repay His claim!

Some will double what they hold;
Others add to it tenfold,
And pay back in shining gold.

Lord, O teach me what to do!
I would faithful be and true;
Still the sacred trust renew.

Help me, ere too late it be,
Something now to do for thee;
Thou who hast done all for me!

And the Lord said unto Moses, What is that in thine hand?--Exodus 4: 2.

If any man would be more abundantly used of the Lord in His blessed service, let him seek first to be fitted for it more and more. Let him imitate that beloved and honored servant, Moses, in meekness, humility, energy and untiring zeal and self-sacrificing service of the Lord. But the wise steward will seek always to cultivate along the lines of his natural abilities, and not expect the Lord to work a miracle for his advancement, and so waste valuable time seeking to develop that which he does not by nature possess. … Let us each, therefore, seek by humility, by zeal, by love for the Lord and for His cause, by faith in His power, to be in that condition of heart and mind which will make us ready to be used and useful in any department of the Divine service to which the Lord may be pleased to call us—Z '94, 143; '01, 348 (R 1651, 2902).

In the symbols of the Scriptures, the hand represents power. To have something in our hand, therefore, would in general mean to have in our power things that belong to our new heart, mind and will and to our humanity. In particular it would mean to have in our power: knowledge, grace, character, position, time, talents, influence, means, friends, relatives, citizenship, health, life, etc. The Lord desires to have us serve along the lines of what we are and have, and not along the lines of what we are not and do not have. Therefore, in the question of our text, He asks us to consider what we are and have. This question is not for His information but is suggestive, admonishing us to take stock of our stewardship, to the intent that we may be the better enabled to use our stewardship to the glory of the Lord and to the profit of others and ourselves in grace—P '36, 166.

Parallel passages: Psa. 34: 10; 68: 35; 84: 11; Eccles. 2: 26; Isa. 42: 5; Dan. 2: 21-23; Matt. 25: 14, 15; Rom. 12: 6-8; 1 Cor. 1: 5-7; 7: 7; Eph. 4: 7; 1 Tim. 6: 17; Jas. 1: 17; 1 Pet. 4: 10; Luke 12: 47, 48; 19: 12, 13.

Hymns: 134, 14, 160, 8, 191, 208, 277.
Poems of Dawn, 168: My One Talent.
Tower Reading: Z '14, 78 (R 5418).

Questions: What have I done with my talents and opportunities this week? Why? How? With what results?

MY ONE TALENT

IN a napkin smooth and white,
Hidden from all mortal sight,
My one talent lies tonight.

Mine to hoard, or mine to use,
Mine to keep, or mine to lose;
May I not do what I choose?

Ah! the gift was only lent,
With the Giver's known intent
That it should be wisely spent.

And I know He will demand
Every farthing at my hand,
When I in His presence stand.

What will be my grief and shame
When I hear my humble name,
And cannot repay His claim!

Some will double what they hold;
Others add to it tenfold,
And pay back in shining gold.

Lord, O teach me what to do!
I would faithful be and true;
Still the sacred trust renew.

Help me, ere too late it be,
Something now to do for thee;
Thou who hast done all for me!