God’s Vision for Humanity
The Journey of People-Talents – Part 3
If The Lord returned today, what would be said of the people-groups He created? In other words, what would Jesus’ findings be of how these people-groups used their talents?
I find it quite fascinating to study people, to discuss people, to think about people, but I wonder if I were in heaven and got the chance to sit down with Jesus, what would He say about people? I would have to ask, “are you pleased with what was created and what we’ve done as people?”
Back to the illustration that we’ve been using about the parable of the Master who went away and left these talents with his servants. As the story goes, two of the servants produced, multiplied their talents. While, one servant hid his and did nothing with it. Recall the very reason for this parable is to, not only imply but, describe how God’s Kingdom operates. Our job or assignment as groups of people is the same as these servants, to multiply our talents as we await The Master’s return.
Thinking about the people-groups and asking the question, what have they done with their gifts, there is one commonality that stands out. One that I’m certain the master would be pleased with. The one result or commonality is centered around the community of faith. All four people-groups, which I’ll explain in more detail shortly, are all servants who have multiplied their beliefs, their faith, and their spirituality. I would imagine He would say “I’m pleased with that.” Because as I think about it I’m pretty pleased with it myself. Give me a moment of your time to paint that picture for you so you can see what the people God created have done with their talents. It’s so easy for us to overlook the gifts because the default (normal) nature of humanity is to see the negative. To see the good, that’s godly, that’s looking at it from The Master’s standpoint.
Spreading Spirituality
Traveling the World to Spread His News
The Northward People Group are the people that are European or, as you know, from north of the center of civilization. This group of people travel the world to aid and to spread the Good News of the Gospel. If you want to identify one group that has multiplied its gift and has used its gift successfully it’s this northward people-group. They have contributed to spreading the gospel around the world from giving out Bibles, to creating apps, to making sure that billions of people have access to God’s word. You have to see that as extremely remarkable and a multiplied people-talent.
Living Spiritually
Dedication and Devotion Faith
The Southward People Group have an ability to be extremely dedicated and devoted to the things of God and their faith. If you want to see a people-group that has brought a lot of color and flavor, so to speak, to faith in their belief, it would be the southward people. This group definitely brings an appeal and an emotional sensitivity to the things of God. They are dedicated to their faith and bring faith into every part of their lives and world. This people-group has added to humanity in doing just that. This group doesn’t leave its faith on the outside, but brings it inside. This allows for faith to be brought into every facet of existence. That my friends is a people-talent that has been multiplied.
Creating Place of Spirituality
Erecting Temples and Spiritual Icons
The Eastward People Group, those east of the center of civilization, are our Asian brothers and sisters who have temples and icons that represent faith, spirituality, and the pursuit of higher power. In fact, many from around the world travel to the sacred shrines and holy places this group has established. People will often make a once in a lifetime journey to such isolated places in search for a spiritual connection with God in this people-group’s remote temples and places of meditation. Their established holy places are found at mountaintops, remote regions, burial grounds, and even carved in hillsides. This group believes in having a pursuit of spirituality that inspires other groups’ desire to achieve. That’s what makes this eastward people-group quite fascinating.
The eastward people group is committed to its journey, spiritual journey which includes distributing the Good News, as well as bringing their spiritual walk into every day practical steps. This spiritual walk is a journey to get closer to God. In this pursuit, I think this group has allowed us to multiply our faith through its practices.
Seeing Spirituality in All Things
Going Beyond Human Expressions of Spirituality
The Westward People Group brings to our expressions of faith spirituality that goes beyond human flesh. What I mean by that is they think of how the inanimate objects that surround us represent who God is. This people-group reverences nature and creation from the land to the sea to the skies above, the sun, moon, and and beyond. The scripture says that “the earth” is God’s footstool. [1] It also says in the beginning that He created “the heavens and the earth.” [2] This people-group gives respect to Him being the creator of all there is, the cosmos, the moon, the planets, and the stars. The Bible says that these things that are not human, represent His goodness, His ability, His grander, His grace, and His wonder. When we look around the earth, we should see His wonder. [3] That’s what this fourth people-group, the Westward People Group, has given us. We now behold God through His creation as a result. [4]
With this commonality of religious pursuits in His people-groups, I think God, the Master, would sit down with us and say I’m pleased with how these four units have worked to bring spirituality to every part and every facet of life: spreading spirituality, living spiritually, creating places of spirituality, and seeing spirituality in every thing created.
As we conclude this series, this message, and the content of “The Gifts of People,” this ending was predetermined so that you can see what we do with our gifts transcends who we are as people. It’s not just the gifts, but all we do points to who God is in creating us all. In fact, all four people-groups make up His body. As the Bible says the family of faith is like one body. [5] Each part is extremely important.
Therefore the people-groups would make up four pieces to that body. Without any one piece, this body is no good and not at its best. Having all four pieces work in harmony produces a body or a being that is physically fit, that is well, and able to accomplish everything that it was intended to. [6] That’s what the gift of people has done for God. The groups have allowed Him to see His body complete in one package and able to do exactly what He intended for it to do.
Question: Have you enjoyed learning about how God’s creation works together and how it all points us right back to Him?
[1] Isaiah 66:1 NLT, Bible.com, accessed July 20, 2023, https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.66.1.NLT
[2] Genesis 1:1 NLT, Bible.com, accessed July 20, 2023, https://bible.com/bible/116/gen.1.1.NLT
[3] Psalms 19:1-4 NLT, Bible.com, accessed July 20, 2023, https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.19.1-4.NLT
[4] Jeremiah 32:17 NKJV, Bible.com, accessed July 20, 2023, https://bible.com/bible/114/jer.32.17.NKJV
[5] 1 Corinthians 12:27 NLT, Bible.com, accessed July 20, 2023, https://bible.com/bible/116/1co.12.27.NLT
[6] 1 Corinthians 12:22-26 NLT, Bible.com, accessed July 20, 2023, https://bible.com/bible/116/1co.12.22-26.NLT
All Scripture references used by permission, see our Scripture copyrights.