and those he favored ? Did he use his gift to bring harm ? Were Jews and numerous others plundered , devastated , tortured , and put to death for no godly cause ? Did he misuse the gift of leadership on his life ? The answers to these questions need no discussion — they are crystal clear .
How about when discerning another ’ s impact is not that obvious ? To explain , let me discuss two other well-known personalities . First , Whitney Houston , an artist who had one of the greatest voices I ’ ve heard in my lifetime . The touch of God was evident upon her life . When Whitney sang , all who heard her were deeply stirred . She was ethereal , seemingly angelic , and quite powerful .
A second example would be Freddie Mercury , the lead singer of the rock group Queen . He had the ability to “ rock you ” and move entire stadiums with his gifts of composing and singing . His ability was far from common and some would even argue supernatural . Years after his death , his songs are still sung widely . Many still love singing , We Are the Champions , after a welldeserved team victory ?
Getting more serious , did either Whitney or Freddie manage their gifts well ? No doubt , there are many who would argue that they did . But let ’ s view this question through Jesus ’ s words :
Wisdom is shown to be right by its results . ( Matthew 11:19 )
and again :
Wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it . ( Luke 7:35 )
After reading these two statements , let ’ s examine the fruit of these two loved entertainers — both in the short and long-term results of their stewardship . Did Whitney use her gift to lead people into the presence of God ? After listening to her sing , were her audiences moved toward godliness ? Did her songs strengthen marriage covenants or foster discontent by creating an unrealistic romantic expectation ? Did Freddie use his gift to move his audiences toward righteousness ? Did he point people to honor their Creator ? How did Whitney and Freddie depart this earth ? Is their legacy enduring or fleeting ? Will it last forever , or will it perish with this world ?
Jesus encourages us to examine the outcome — and I ’ ll let you determine the results of Whitney ’ s and Freddie ’ s stewardship . However , the ultimate examination will come in the presence of our Creator . Because each will give an account at the judgment . I realize that if you are a fan of either Whitney or Freddie , you may be uncomfortable with this discussion .
Life is all about perspective . Let ’ s view their legacies from the vantage point of ten million years from now . How will Whitney and Freddie look back at how they managed their God-given gifts ? Examining their lives through an eternal perspective may change your original view . If we view it through the lens of eighty years , we will see things one way . However , when we look at Whitney ’ s and Freddie ’ s fruit from the eternal perspective , the results of their stewardship become clearer .
Let ’ s revert to you and me . Are we using our gifts for the benefit of others ? Are we using our gifts to build God ’ s kingdom ? Give yourself time to
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