If Jesus Is King...

The parable of the talents has always meant something to me. I can recall all the way back to my teen years and reading that passage in Luke 19 and being arrested by the concept. Jesus is the Master (some translations use the word “King”) He entrusts these people with different levels of gifts/talents. He comes back expecting a return on His investment. He’s so thrilled to see those who took risks, worked hard, and gained for Him a multiplied return on His initial investment. He’s so frustrated with the one who did nothing. Furthermore, He’s sad that the “wicked steward” accuses Him of theft, immorality, and harsh character.

I wonder how many Christians have misunderstood the Master, King Jesus. I wonder how many believers have yes, accepted Jesus as the only Son of God who took their place on the cross, yet somehow, deep down, they still see God as cruel, harsh, dogmatic… unkind even.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Jesus is so holy that we can not begin to fathom the disparity between His holiness and our wretched ways and wayward hearts. Yet, He does the unthinkable. He lays aside His role and throne in Heaven, and comes to earth, not as a ruler but as a servant. He suffers. He grieves. He cries. He hurts. He’s tempted. He’s abandoned. Yet, He’s faithful.

And because He is faithful and because He gives us His “Helper” Holy Spirit, we are enabled to also be faithful… faithful with whatever He’s given us to do. Jesus made it clear. He is the King, and we are the stewards. We are far, far, far beneath Him in aptitude, capacity, talent, and identity. We are but one of 7 billion. Yet we are entrusted, much like Adam, to name the animals. We are given dominion. We are given faith in which to exercise that dominion. Not in order to “dominate” or rule over, but rather, like Jesus, to serve, to enrich the lives of others, to befriend everyone, not just those who can give us something in return. When we steward well what King Jesus gave us, we expand His beauty, wonder, and glory for all to see. We won’t change the environments we enter until we change our view of ourselves, aligning that view with the Word of God. We won’t act like priests and culture-creators if we don’t think we are priests and culture-creators. We are artists, image-bearers, given the sacred gift of imagination by God’s Spirit, the same Spirit that redefines what’s possible!

If Jesus is King, then we are responsible for our work of art.