It takes time for many of us to realize that all that we are and all that we have is from God. We work hard to develop our talents and fulfill our roles as adults with our families and in our work settings. We can be deceived to believe that all we did was on our own. We wouldn't have accomplished a speck of that without the Grace of God.
I’m not saying we should not strive to be the best we can be and not to be ambitious. Why would God gift us all with so many great talents and not want us to use them to their full potential? I think the answer is in Mt 20:17-28. The way I read it, Jesus, more than anything, wants us to use our talents to serve others.
When we finally come to realize that we need to let go and let God work through us, it brings a sense of peace. We then become more comfortable reaching out to others.
We may not be in a position of washing the feet of others as Jesus did, but there are, for example, many things that can be done through a smile, a kind word, a phone call or a note. Realizing that we do not own or stack up credit for these acts of charity seems to replenish our energy to do more. Love does not count the cost or keep score. We witness this so clearly on Good Friday.
Jesus wants us to always remember to serve others no matter what we do. In this reading, Jesus is not prohibiting us from achieving success and accomplishing our goals, but He wants us to remember that we are here to serve others – not to bask in wealth and power. The more we gain in life, the less we should be working for ourselves and the more we should focus on the needs of others.
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