I need a better scorecard

A few weeks back, we talked about the fear of doing the wrong thing leading us to inaction—where this shows up in life, career, and money. We often feel embarrassed for *not* knowing things we feel we *should’ve figured out by now* and that embarrassment leads us to hide instead of “asking the dumb question” that might lead to the change we’re longing for. I ended our time around Jesus’ parable of the talents, pointing out that both the 2- and 5-talent servants received identical praise. Jesus did not discriminate based on quantity. But you might’ve noticed I didn’t address the 600lb gorilla in the parable—the guy who did nothing. He’s, arguably, the more poignant member of the illustration, given my context. what fear really costs me That guy. The servant who, filled with fear, did nothing with his money sobers us because he demonstrates what fear—*what embarrassment*—can actually do. It doesn’t just make me put on my helmet, oftentimes it keeps me off the bike altogether. And staying off the bike keeps me from exploring the mountain trails, seeing the owls and deer, and sitting by the quiet of the lake at sunset (ask me how I know!). In short, fear makes me bury, freeze, and hide. Because as painful as it may be to sit by and do nothing, it’s better than doing the wrong thing and losing it all, right? what our scorecard isn’t telling us So I bury my treasure — hiding my gifts, shying away from my callings, backing down from iron-sharpening-iron style conflict. For some reason I’m often afraid to be the pioneer who does the thing first. I’d rather sit back and watch to see how it goes for the other guy. But what would be true about me if I was the first to do with my gifting what God intended for me to do with it? I freeze because analysis is the endless cycle of doing tomorrow what I should have done yesterday. It’s the death by committee — and the committee is all in my own head. It’s easier to wait it out, see what happens, do some more research, have another conversation, and then I’ll act, right? Except by that point the sands have shifted and the new evidence demands I return to square one, endlessly prolonging action through the veil of planning. But eventually the rubber meets the road. The master returns home. The financial day of reckoning has come. The credit card bill arrived. Or the retirement party has been scheduled. The reality we’ve been running away from with eyes turned behind us has become the brick wall we didn’t see coming — and just ran into. And we weren’t ready for it. How then shall we live? I want to revisit my post from July 27 — \*the prize we’re all longing for.* The dream of every faithful Christian is to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Not, “Well done, impressive investor.”Not, “Well done, successful entrepreneur.”Not even, “Well done, because you produced more than everyone else.” The servants who received two talents and five talents heard the same praise. Different starting points. Different outcomes. Same scorecard: faithfulness with what they had. *That* is the scorecard we need. One that measures whether I faithfully used what God entrusted to me, not whether my results looked impressive next to yours. So perhaps the better question is: What does faithfulness require of me today? and what faithfulness to Christ *free* me from today? Cheering you on. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit faithandfinance.substack.com