Don't Bury Your Talents!

Someone recently asked what has surprised me most about my work at the Georgia United Methodist Foundation. At first, I wanted to share what has inspired me. But, the more I reflected on the word, surprised, the more I came to appreciate the question. So, what has surprised me?

I have been surprised by how differently people think about their personal investments versus investments intended to elevate and advance the ministries and mission of the church. Interestingly, we as individuals often think of our personal investments with an eye toward a longer time horizon and maximum returns, while at the same time thinking about the church’s investment funds with a much shorter time horizon — seeking to protect the funds from any possibility of loss. These conversations remind me of the important lesson in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) where we are challenged not to bury our talents, as we seek to be good stewards of all that God entrusts to us.

I hope that you are inspired to reflect on practices of Christian stewardship, which necessarily involves reflecting on how we approach our personal finances and the task of caring for funds that are in the care of the church. May we all be found faithful!

Please reach out if we at the Foundation can help you, your church, or your organization as you endeavor to be a faithful steward of the financial resources entrusted by God.