A bag of beans. Air in a tire. Ammo in a box. Paint in a can.

The ingredients in these containers do not develop into anything. Someone, or something, in a factory puts beans in a bag, and later, you get beans out of the bag. You put air in the tire and slowly over time, air leaks out. Ammunition in a box doesn’t do anything on its own, despite what some people think. Paint in a can….well, you get the idea.

In Matthew 25: 14-30, we’re offered The Parable of the Bags of Gold. To summarize, a man is planning to take a long journey. He gives three of his servants some bags of gold, to each a different amount. Five, two, and one bag to be exact. I’ll skip to the third servant who takes his one bag of gold, digs a hole in the ground, and buries it out of fear of his master. What a safe thing to do. Simple. Comfortable. Dig a hole, stuff the bag in it, and it’s safe until his master returns. Sound familiar?

The other two servants took their bags of gold and did something with them. We don’t know exactly what, but that’s not the point. The point is they were allowed to make something more out of what they’ve been given. They know their master is going to expect something more than simply returning what he gave them.

Back to the green beans, air, ammo, and paint. 

These things don’t develop into anything on their own. With intentionality though, they are used to make something or do something great. With planning and action, they have a future. A bag of beans in the hands of a chef becomes baked beans (with bacon, of course). Air in a tire helps get you to your destination. Ammo when in the gun and the hands of a skilled marksman, becomes a great competition. Paint in the hands of an artist becomes a masterpiece.  

In everything we do, we must be intentional. We must take action and use the gifts and the tools God has given us to live a fulfilling life.

At True North Man, we talk a lot about purpose; defined as “the reason for which something is done”. This implies and requires action.

Someday God will ask us what we’ve done with the life He gave us…. what will your answer be?

– Paul Beam