Occupy Till I Come

He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come"
(Luke 19:12-13)

Thought For Today: 

"Occupy till I come"—in this context, "occupy" doesn't just mean "possess" as it's commonly understood, but rather it refers to improving or conducting business with the intention of growing or profiting from it. It means "To trade it". 
Jesus wants us to take risks with what He has given us.  As He told the man with the one talent who did nothing with it, you should have at least put it in the bank and I would have had interest when I returned (my words).  And so, Jesus commands His disciples to “improve” their talents; to make the most of them; to increase their capability of doing good, and to do it “until” He comes to call us.  Paul told the church at Corinth; "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal"(1 Corinthians 12:7). With the truth as to who Jesus is, we should be gaining more wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.  And not only that, I believe that we should be using the finances that God gives us for the advancement of His Kingdom. If a $50 Missionary offering each month will win a soul, then let's spend it. If spending a $100 to have a ladies or men's fellowship will help to win a soul, then let's spend it. It's all God's anyhow and He said to profit with it. I believe if we use it for His glory and purpose, He will give us more. But if we horde it, we'll have nothing to show for it when He returns.