Maximizing Your Potential
Sermon
Sermons On The First Readings
Series I, Cycle C
Once upon a time two beautiful flowers lived side-by-side in a magnificent garden. One was bright yellow and the other was bright blue. From the first moments of their existence these two flowers received profuse praise from the world for their vigor and beauty. "I love your face," said the sun to the yellow flower. "I love your eyes," said the sky to the blue flower. "I love your overall beauty," said the butterfly. "I love your pollen," said the bee. "And I your nectar," said an ant. "I love the shade that you provide," said the grasshopper. The two flowers basked in their glory and all the accolades they received. "Never stop," they said to the world.
One day the yellow flower began to do some work. "What are you doing?" asked the blue flower. "I am making pollen," she answered. "You shouldn't be doing that. It will make you old before your time." The yellow flower did not heed the warning but continued to make her pollen. The next day the blue flower was complimented by the sky, but the sun said nothing to the yellow flower, which seemed a bit withered and worn. "What did I tell you?" said the blue flower. "You must spend all your time making yourself beautiful or no one in the future will care about you." The blue flower primped her petals and primed her color. The yellow flower was content to make pollen.
Several days later a young man was strolling through the garden. He spied the blue flower and picked it. "This must come to my house," he said. "What did I tell you?" said the blue flower to the yellow. "Now I will adorn this man's house while you will sit in the hot sun and wilt." In time when the man was finished with the blue flower he discarded it into the fire. In time when nature had finished with the yellow flower, there was a whole field of yellow blossoms.1
This delightful but very challenging story contrasts what happens to those who are prepared and those who are complacent. It is also a tale which demonstrates how different people respond to the gifts given to them by God. Some use gifts wisely and produce an abundance, while others pass up opportunity or use very minimally or unwisely the gifts and possibilities God sends our way. Today's reading from the prophet Isaiah, known as the "Song of the Vineyard," illustrates the failure of the people of Judah to use wisely what God had given them and the consequent result that comes from such an abuse of God's gifts.
In metaphorical language Isaiah summarizes all that God had done to date in salvation history to make the land of Judah a fruitful place and a great nation. Using the image of the people of Judah as a vineyard, the prophet says that God did everything possible for the people. God placed the people in a very fertile land, a place as scripture says, that flowed with milk and honey. God cleared away all the stones from his land, that is the peoples of the region who would not allow the Israelites to grow and flourish. God gave the people the law to show them how to live their lives by loving God and neighbor. The people were special, even unique to Yahweh; they were a singular group, a chosen vine, that God planned to nourish to produce a rich harvest. In order to accomplish this, God sent judges, kings, and finally prophets to govern and assist the people, and to proclaim God's word to them. Even with all this, however, the fruits of the vineyard, that is the works of the Hebrews, were not good. On the contrary, the vineyard produced wild grapes. God expected more from his chosen people. What more could the Lord have done?
The Hebrews did not use the gifts they had been given wisely. They had the land, the law, and the special protection of God. They were given all they could possibly need. Although the people were special to God and were granted opportunities, gifts, and talents, the people made poor choices. They chose other gods; their religious leaders exercised their worldly power and authority wrongly and abused the people, especially the poor. The Hebrews showed little appreciation for all God had done for them; they squandered the opportunities that came their way.
In some important ways the blue and yellow flower in the story were very much like the people of Judah. Both were given equal gifts; they were radiantly beautiful. Both as well were provided the opportunity to do something today to prepare for tomorrow. The blue flower was complacent and missed the occasion to work now in order to prepare for the future. Destruction was the result. The yellow flower, on the other hand, exercised her gifts wisely and fully and in the process created a whole sea of yellow blossoms. The people of Judah, unfortunately, acted more like the blue flower; they were complacent. Even more than complacent, however, they misused the gifts God provided them.
Because the people did not produce good fruit, God's judgment is proclaimed on the nation. The hedge and the wall, symbolic of God's protection for the nation and its people, will be removed. God will allow briars and thorns to overrun the vineyard, a symbol that the nation of Judah will be conquered by pagan peoples. God's sustenance will also be removed; no rain will come to the vineyard. God expected justice but received bloodshed; Yahweh sought righteousness, but obtained only a cry!
Lest we think that the story of the flowers and the Song of the Vineyard are not applicable to our contemporary situation, we must examine our own lives and see how we have used the many and wonderful gifts God has given us. God does not ask too much from us, but the Lord does command that we exercise our potential, be prepared for what may come, and use our gifts wisely. We have all received many wonderful gifts, but have we exercised our potential with what we have been given? We have all been given the gift of faith. This great gift from God is well-defined in the letter to the Hebrews (11:1) as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." We have been given the gift of faith, but have we used it to its full potential? When our faith is tested do we give into temptation; do we give up when the situation looks bleak, such as in sickness, unemployment, or problems at home, work, or school? Or do we demonstrate our faith and trust God, as did Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, and the other great biblical figures of faith? Do we share our great gifts of faith with those not as privileged as ourselves? We have all been given many talents -- in the classroom as students and teachers, on the athletic field as players and coaches, in the arts as musicians or painters, in the professional world as physicians, engineers, or architects. How would we answer Jesus when he says, "From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded" (Luke 12:48b). Does the world, whether that be our family, place of business, or the Church, receive some compensation and benefit from all we have been given? Do we show gratitude to God by giving back some of what we have been given?
So often we squander all we have been given or we use poorly or unwisely the manifold gifts of God. The Lord's gifts are bestowed upon us for our benefit and the good of all. We should not seek some compensation or reward for what we do, but rather be content to do what God asks of us, realizing that the gifts we truly seek are not of this world. As Jesus says, "When you have done all that you have been ordered to do, say, 'We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done' " (Luke 17:10).
The misuse of God's gifts is illustrated in a little story. Jake was one of the most colorful and well-known people in a small town. Everyone knew him, liked him personally, and appreciated his work as an artist. One day Jake went to the local general store to pick up a few items. He paid for his purchases with a twenty-dollar bill. Everything was normal until the sales clerk noticed after Jake had left that she had ink smudges on her sweaty palms and there was a similar smudge on the twenty-dollar bill. She went to the store owner, who in turn called the police. The bill was counterfeit. When the police went to Jake's home, they noticed that a real twenty-dollar bill was taped to his easel. It seems that Jake had meticulously painted very detail of that bill. A more thorough search of the apartment revealed several beautiful portraits and country scenes that Jake had painted. When sold at auction, some went for $10,000. It seems Jake spent as much, if not more, time creating one twenty-dollar bill as he did painting the expensive canvases. In essence Jake not only tried to steal from the store, he stole from himself in wasting the potential he had been given.
Let us be wise and exercise properly, fully, and for the betterment of God's people the great gifts we have received. May we reject complacency and the temptation to abuse others with the gifts we have. Let us follow the example of Christ who came not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for the many (Matthew 20:28). Our reward in heaven will be great!
____________
1. Paraphrased from "A Tale of Two Flowers," in John Aurelio, Colors! Stories of the Kingdom (New York: Crossroad, 1993), pp. 79-80.
One day the yellow flower began to do some work. "What are you doing?" asked the blue flower. "I am making pollen," she answered. "You shouldn't be doing that. It will make you old before your time." The yellow flower did not heed the warning but continued to make her pollen. The next day the blue flower was complimented by the sky, but the sun said nothing to the yellow flower, which seemed a bit withered and worn. "What did I tell you?" said the blue flower. "You must spend all your time making yourself beautiful or no one in the future will care about you." The blue flower primped her petals and primed her color. The yellow flower was content to make pollen.
Several days later a young man was strolling through the garden. He spied the blue flower and picked it. "This must come to my house," he said. "What did I tell you?" said the blue flower to the yellow. "Now I will adorn this man's house while you will sit in the hot sun and wilt." In time when the man was finished with the blue flower he discarded it into the fire. In time when nature had finished with the yellow flower, there was a whole field of yellow blossoms.1
This delightful but very challenging story contrasts what happens to those who are prepared and those who are complacent. It is also a tale which demonstrates how different people respond to the gifts given to them by God. Some use gifts wisely and produce an abundance, while others pass up opportunity or use very minimally or unwisely the gifts and possibilities God sends our way. Today's reading from the prophet Isaiah, known as the "Song of the Vineyard," illustrates the failure of the people of Judah to use wisely what God had given them and the consequent result that comes from such an abuse of God's gifts.
In metaphorical language Isaiah summarizes all that God had done to date in salvation history to make the land of Judah a fruitful place and a great nation. Using the image of the people of Judah as a vineyard, the prophet says that God did everything possible for the people. God placed the people in a very fertile land, a place as scripture says, that flowed with milk and honey. God cleared away all the stones from his land, that is the peoples of the region who would not allow the Israelites to grow and flourish. God gave the people the law to show them how to live their lives by loving God and neighbor. The people were special, even unique to Yahweh; they were a singular group, a chosen vine, that God planned to nourish to produce a rich harvest. In order to accomplish this, God sent judges, kings, and finally prophets to govern and assist the people, and to proclaim God's word to them. Even with all this, however, the fruits of the vineyard, that is the works of the Hebrews, were not good. On the contrary, the vineyard produced wild grapes. God expected more from his chosen people. What more could the Lord have done?
The Hebrews did not use the gifts they had been given wisely. They had the land, the law, and the special protection of God. They were given all they could possibly need. Although the people were special to God and were granted opportunities, gifts, and talents, the people made poor choices. They chose other gods; their religious leaders exercised their worldly power and authority wrongly and abused the people, especially the poor. The Hebrews showed little appreciation for all God had done for them; they squandered the opportunities that came their way.
In some important ways the blue and yellow flower in the story were very much like the people of Judah. Both were given equal gifts; they were radiantly beautiful. Both as well were provided the opportunity to do something today to prepare for tomorrow. The blue flower was complacent and missed the occasion to work now in order to prepare for the future. Destruction was the result. The yellow flower, on the other hand, exercised her gifts wisely and fully and in the process created a whole sea of yellow blossoms. The people of Judah, unfortunately, acted more like the blue flower; they were complacent. Even more than complacent, however, they misused the gifts God provided them.
Because the people did not produce good fruit, God's judgment is proclaimed on the nation. The hedge and the wall, symbolic of God's protection for the nation and its people, will be removed. God will allow briars and thorns to overrun the vineyard, a symbol that the nation of Judah will be conquered by pagan peoples. God's sustenance will also be removed; no rain will come to the vineyard. God expected justice but received bloodshed; Yahweh sought righteousness, but obtained only a cry!
Lest we think that the story of the flowers and the Song of the Vineyard are not applicable to our contemporary situation, we must examine our own lives and see how we have used the many and wonderful gifts God has given us. God does not ask too much from us, but the Lord does command that we exercise our potential, be prepared for what may come, and use our gifts wisely. We have all received many wonderful gifts, but have we exercised our potential with what we have been given? We have all been given the gift of faith. This great gift from God is well-defined in the letter to the Hebrews (11:1) as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." We have been given the gift of faith, but have we used it to its full potential? When our faith is tested do we give into temptation; do we give up when the situation looks bleak, such as in sickness, unemployment, or problems at home, work, or school? Or do we demonstrate our faith and trust God, as did Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, and the other great biblical figures of faith? Do we share our great gifts of faith with those not as privileged as ourselves? We have all been given many talents -- in the classroom as students and teachers, on the athletic field as players and coaches, in the arts as musicians or painters, in the professional world as physicians, engineers, or architects. How would we answer Jesus when he says, "From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded" (Luke 12:48b). Does the world, whether that be our family, place of business, or the Church, receive some compensation and benefit from all we have been given? Do we show gratitude to God by giving back some of what we have been given?
So often we squander all we have been given or we use poorly or unwisely the manifold gifts of God. The Lord's gifts are bestowed upon us for our benefit and the good of all. We should not seek some compensation or reward for what we do, but rather be content to do what God asks of us, realizing that the gifts we truly seek are not of this world. As Jesus says, "When you have done all that you have been ordered to do, say, 'We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done' " (Luke 17:10).
The misuse of God's gifts is illustrated in a little story. Jake was one of the most colorful and well-known people in a small town. Everyone knew him, liked him personally, and appreciated his work as an artist. One day Jake went to the local general store to pick up a few items. He paid for his purchases with a twenty-dollar bill. Everything was normal until the sales clerk noticed after Jake had left that she had ink smudges on her sweaty palms and there was a similar smudge on the twenty-dollar bill. She went to the store owner, who in turn called the police. The bill was counterfeit. When the police went to Jake's home, they noticed that a real twenty-dollar bill was taped to his easel. It seems that Jake had meticulously painted very detail of that bill. A more thorough search of the apartment revealed several beautiful portraits and country scenes that Jake had painted. When sold at auction, some went for $10,000. It seems Jake spent as much, if not more, time creating one twenty-dollar bill as he did painting the expensive canvases. In essence Jake not only tried to steal from the store, he stole from himself in wasting the potential he had been given.
Let us be wise and exercise properly, fully, and for the betterment of God's people the great gifts we have received. May we reject complacency and the temptation to abuse others with the gifts we have. Let us follow the example of Christ who came not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for the many (Matthew 20:28). Our reward in heaven will be great!
____________
1. Paraphrased from "A Tale of Two Flowers," in John Aurelio, Colors! Stories of the Kingdom (New York: Crossroad, 1993), pp. 79-80.
