How to 'Occupy' until Jesus Returns

In this New Year’s UPGRADE, I want to encourage us to keep on keeping on for the Kingdom of God. Hopefully, you will find some motivation to think through what is valuable to pursue in the coming year.

One of the words the Lord gave me when I recently found out I was out of remission with Multiple Myeloma was the word “OCCUPY.”

That word is in a parable Jesus told, found in Luke 19:11-26. The phrase is in verse 13 in the King James Version where it says, "occupy till I come."

The phrase is translated in different ways in other versions of the Bible:

• “Do business till I come” (NKVJ)
• “Put this money to work until I come back” (NIV)
• “Invest this for me while I am gone” (NLT)
• “Operate with this until I return” (MSG)

Obviously, Jesus used the concept of financial stewardship in this parable. But I want to expand that to something beyond finances as we think about the New Year.

But first, let me summarize the points in the parable:

1. Jesus had just finished talking to Zacchaeus, a tax collector—so the people were already thinking about money.

2. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem for His last Passover before his crucifixion.

He told the parable because many people thought the kingdom of God was going to appear at that time.

3. In the parable—spoken to a large crowd—a man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king. 

4. Before he left, the master called 10 of his servants and loaned a mina to each of them. One mina was about the equivalent of three months’ wages.

The master told them to put that money to work until he returned. They were to “occupy” or do their business in a wise way.

5. The master—now a king—returned, and he sent for his servants to find out what they had “gained” with the money. One said he earned 10 more minas. Another said he earned five.

They were both diligent, trustworthy, and faithful.

And Jesus praised them both—rewarding them by giving them charge over 10 cities and five cities, respectively.

6. Then another servant came with his mina, hidden away in a cloth. Perhaps he was afraid of losing it. But he accused the master of “hardness."

So the king responded in hardness, calling him a “wicked servant.”

The man could have at least banked the money so it would collect interest. His mina was taken away and given to the good steward who had gained the ten minas.

7. Finally, the king responded to those who “hated him” after he left—those who rebelled against his authority. He had them executed (vv. 14, 27). (Remember that someday Jesus will defeat all His enemies.)

* Please see my note at the end about how this parable differs from the parable found in Matthew 25.

How to ‘Occupy’ Better in 2022

God used this parable to speak to me about making better "investments," and I don't mean just with money.

Many people choose a word for the new year, and I could have chosen any of the five words the Lord gave me regarding moving forward with my illness: Trust, Occupy, Discern, Rest, or Praise.

But I chose "Occupy" for my main word. Here is how the Lord is speaking to me about occupying, or UPGRADING my Stewardship, in the days to come. Maybe He will speak to you too.

(1) GODWARDNESS

"Godwardness" is my word for everything that upgrades my focus on my Father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

It involves everything from scripture reading and memorization to meditation, prayer, worship, singing to God and about Him—so many areas.

I asked myself recently, “Are you content with your adventure with God? Where could you make that journey more fulfilling—and better yet, more God-honoring?”

Then I asked the Lord about that and got better answers than I came up with initially!

Maybe those are questions you can ask as well . . . and then act for change.

(2) FINANCES

Financial wisdom for investment is certainly one way to increase our stewardship. There are many ways to manage our finances biblically.

When I am more careful with my money, when I don’t buy unnecessary things, and when I curb my “wants,” I have more resources to support my church, send to missionaries, or share with others in their time of need.

Think about your finances as you enter this new year. Consider “investment” rather than spending, and see if your priorities change.

(2) TIME

I can also increase my stewardship of the use of my TIME.

For example, instead of plopping down to watch good television shows so much—which goes beyond eliminating programs that pollute the mind or spirit—I can use that time wisely, investing every opportunity for the Kingdom, especially in these evil days.

Certainly, I can read more of my Bible or helpful Christian books, but there are other activities I can do that are better investments of my time.

I’ll be honest here.

I’ve complained that I don’t have time to write that book I’ve wanted to write for so long. Given, I’ve been very ill. But if I can lie down to watch a movie, or spend an hour on Facebook on my phone, why can't I lie down and take notes for my book, or research for it online, etc.

Instead of “frittering away” free time (time beyond our responsibilities), how might we invest it wisely this year?

(3) RELATIONSHIPS

Our relationship with God is our primary relationship, but our human relationships are well worth investing in too.

Certainly our family relationships—those in our immediate home are a priority. But also, we can invest in other family members, friendships, co-workers, etc. (Ephesians 6:2; James 1:27a; Proverbs 17:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Ephesians 6:5-9).

It’s easy, when our lives feel stressed, to turn inward; but if that continues for a while, it’s not healthy.

We need other people, especially our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. And, in fact, the family of God was designed by God to help us in our times of stress.

So let's think about the relationships in our lives. How can we upgrade those relationships in positive, creative ways this year?

(4) OUTPUT

This area of stewardship is threefold:

• the investment of the SPIRITUAL GIFTS God has given us,
• development of new SKILLS, and
• better use of the TALENTS we've developed over time.

Our spiritual gifts were meant to be developed for God’s glory, not simply acknowledged.

Once we know our spiritual gifts—serving, encouraging, giving, leading, showing mercy, etc.—we should consider practical ways to use them under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Our skills and talents are things we have developed in our careers, as hobbies, or simply out of necessity. They are some of the things that make us unique in the family of God, and perhaps we need to be more creative in using them to build the body of Christ or minister to others.

For example, I have a friend, Kim, who founded a group called Kingdom Quilters in Southern California. The ladies make quilts and other things that they then take to orphanages and other sites of need in Guatemala and Mexico.

Is there something in your heart or hands that you could invest for the good of others and the glory of God?

(5) WITNESS

I also want to better invest in time to witness to others about God's gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. I don’t want to be disobedient to Christ’s command to share the gospel with people everywhere—whether as part of mission outreaches around the world—by going or giving so others can go—or by walking next door to share with my neighbor.

I know this is hard for some people. It’s never easy for me. But when I think in terms of obedience, or when I think about the Lord’s return, it’s more motivating, right?

What Are We Waiting For?

Just as the servants in the parable were rewarded with 10 cities and 5 cities, the Bible says God’s children will be rewarded with crowns. They will receive rewards according to their faithfulness and usefulness on earth.

We shouldn't want to be careless in any area of stewardship.

What are we waiting for?

The truth is, Jesus is coming back. We refer to His coming as “imminent”—it could happen any time (Matthew 24:36). Maybe in our lifetimes. Maybe in our children’s or grandchildren’s lifetimes.

But certainly, we need to be looking for His coming—anticipating it and living righteously in light of it (2 Timothy 4:8b). We need to be more aware of how we are using our time.

The Lord’s return is a great motivation to get busy serving Him (1 Corinthians 15:58).

The apostles understood that Jesus’ imminent return meant they should busy themselves with His work, because any day might be their last on earth.

The Bible doesn’t give Christians a “hold the fort” mentality—just waiting around until God calls us home. Instead, John said we should work while we can, because there’s coming a day when our working opportunities on earth will be over (John 9:4).

• I DON'T want to be indifferent, slothful, or careless.
• I DO want to be industrious, useful, creative, and God-honoring in everything I do!

I want to faithfully and creatively “occupy” until Jesus returns—or until He calls me home. I hope that's your desire too.

Which area of stewardship could use an upgrade in your life in 2022?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

* (Note: The parable in Luke 19 is not the same parable found in Matthew 25:14-30, which was to His disciples on the Mount of Olives. The “talents” are different than the minas. The return of the master and the responses of the servants are different in the Matthew account.)

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Stux and TruthSeeker08, both at Pixabay.

Can Differences in Marriages Form Bridges—Not Chasms?

Cynthia Ruchti writes both novels and nonfiction, but she always focuses on weaving truth and humor together to challenge people to more biblical living. In this Marriage UPGRADE, she tackles differences in marriage and how they can become a blessing.

"The differences between how some marriage partners think must mean they’re not suited for each other," Cynthia says. "Must have missed God’s leading somehow. Marriage is doomed unless the two can start thinking alike, right?"

Oh, I (Dawn) hope not! Seriously, Cynthia understands how so many of our marriages work, and how they can work better!

Cynthia continues . . .

I’ve been that woman—the one wondering how married life can possibly survive much less grow if the husband and wife approach everything—EVERYTHING—from opposing perspectives.

While writing the novel Miles from Where We Started, I didn’t have to look far for research about the widening gap a young couple can feel when they wake up soon after the honeymoon to discover this person they thought their soulmate speaks a different language, cares about different concerns, and is… different.

Not on the same page? He or she isn’t in the same library!

After spending more than four decades married to my opposite, I can predict what my beloved will say before he says it.

Me: Look at that beautiful fireplace.

Him: I wonder how much that thing cost them.

Me: Did you have a good time golfing with Ken?

Him: Yeah.

Me: How’s he handling the news about the lesion near his optic nerve?

Him: We didn’t talk about it.

Me: You didn’t talk about the biggest threat he’s ever faced to his life and his vision? About his pending surgery?

Him: It didn’t come up.

Me: (after a day full of conquering small mountains in my various job assignments) How was work today?

Him: Meh. You know.

I deal in emotional currency.

He deals in checking account balances.

I view life’s experiences through their impact on people.

He views them through their impact on the price of gas.

On every personality test we take—I provide his answers for him, because he doesn’t take personality tests—we score as polar opposites on the charts, graphs, and animal names.

It’s no surprise that God’s artistry didn’t include creating automatons who all function, feel, speak, and process alike. What a wide variety of personality types He made!

When we look at the gifts His Holy Spirit gives so that the body of the church functions well (Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12, among other references), it’s obvious He intended us to approach life from different angles.

We’re not all administrators or helpers or gifted teachers or prophets. But together, we can form a complete picture of the Church.

Why would we assume that wouldn’t be the case in marriage?

What if our differences are bridge-building material rather than distance-making?

How can differences signal pending strength rather than pending doom for a marriage relationship?

Consider these marital points to ponder:

• SOMEBODY has to consider the costs. (If not me, it had better be him.)
• Emotion without stability equals tears and laughter with no place to land. Stability without emotion equals a highway in North Dakota (no interesting or growth-producing hills or curves).
• One angle—even if shared by two people—eliminates the advantage of perspective. It removes dimension. The best brainstorming and problem-solving happens when we take a look at the issue from a variety of angles.

God’s Word says it this way:

“If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be" (1 Corinthians 12:17-18, NIV).

Same verses—with a few added—but different… uh… perspective:

“I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together.

"If Foot said, 'I’m not elegant like Hand, embellished with rings; I guess I don’t belong to this body,' would that make it so?

"If Ear said, 'I’m not beautiful like Eye, limpid and expressive; I don’t deserve a place on the head,' would you want to remove it from the body?

"If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell?

"As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body [or the marriage] right where he wanted it” (1 Corinthians 12:14-18, MSG—bracketed part, my addition).

Differences in marriage build DIMENSION bridges across the gaps.

Is it time to stop fussing about differences of opinion and use them as planks to build a dimension bridge?

Cynthia Ruchti tells stories hemmed-in-Hope through novels, nonfiction, devotionals, and speaking events for women and writers. She’s the author of more than 25 books, including the recently-released novel—Miles from Where We Started. 

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Eusodroff at Pixabay.

Rethinking Single Leadership

A strong woman of purpose, Nali Hilderman encourages women—both by her teaching and in her life example—to embrace Christian leadership at all ages and stages of life. She knows this is difficult for some single women.

“If you’re feeling unimportant in your singleness,” Nali said, “I’d like to challenge you with a biblical perspective.”

When I (Dawn) was a young single woman, a Christian ministry offered me strong reasons to see my singleness as a gift from God. I'm so glad Nali is addressing that in this Leadership UPGRADE.

Nali continues . . .

While there are many examples in the Bible of women that God used—some married, some single—we should focus on obedience to Him in whatever stage of life we find ourselves.

Nowhere does the Bible indicate that your ability to make a difference for Christ and His Kingdom is dependent on your marital status. 

However, I know sometimes it can feel like you’re overlooked and unimportant in the Church if you don’t have a husband and family. 

Here are three reasons you really do matter in the Kingdom of God.

1. Rethink Leadership.

We often tend to think that leadership is about position, personality or platform, which includes certain “requirements” you may feel you don’t have as a single woman. 

The reality is, leadership is mainly about the ability to influence others, serve them and—in Christian leadership—point them towards Christ. 

These things you can do successfully, regardless of whether you’re married or not. 

“Leadership is being alive with truth and love in your sphere of influence.”

That is something anyone can do!

Focus on those God has placed in your path, and work on serving and loving them. This is the most powerful form of influence.

2. Examine and Use your Spiritual Gifts.

Just as there is nothing in Scripture that indicates the gifts of the Holy Spirit are either “male/female,” so there is no designation that some gifts are given to married people and some are for singles.

Because of this, take time to find out what your gifts are and set about using them for the edification of the Church (1 Corinthians 12:7).

You can take free online tests to find out which gifts are your strengths.*

Also, spend time studying 1 Corinthians 12 to learn what the gifts are, what their purpose is, and how each gift is important in the body of Christ.

3. Steward Your Time.

I know this sounds cliché, but as singles we often have more time on our hands than our married friends. Paul is speaking truth when he says married people are concerned with the affairs of their spouse and needs of their children, while single people are “concerned about the Lord’s affairs” (1 Corinthians 7:32-35). 

I know it’s easy to spend time focusing on what we don’t have, but ask yourself, “Am I being a wise steward of the time I have now? Am I serving the Lord—using my gifts to edify the Body of Christ?”

You have the ability to make a significant impact on others during your singleness.

These are three important ideas regardless of what season you find yourself in, but they are especially challenging if you are single and feeling like you cannot have an impact for Christ.

You do matter in the Kingdom of God!

If you are single, which of these three points is hardest for you? What can you do to increase your effectiveness for the Kingdom of God?

Nali Hilderman is a professor of American history at San Diego Christian College, and Director of the college’s Dr. Henry Morris Leadership Program. She studies women’s history and Christian theology. Always seeking how to become a confident, successful Christian woman, she does not buy into the secular feminist mentality. Nali attends Journey Community Church in La Mesa, CA.

* Two free Spiritual Gifts tests are here and here.

Graphic adapted, image courtesy of pixabay.