Two farmers were talking one hot July day. One of them asked the other, “How is your cotton doing this year?”

“I didn’t plant any,” came the answer. “I was afraid of the boll weevil.”

“Well, how is your corn?”

“I didn’t plant any corn either. I was scared that there might be a drought.”

“How about your potatoes?”

“I don’t have any. I was afraid of potato bugs.”

The first farmer finally asked, “Well, what did you plant?”

“Nothing,” answered the second farmer. “I just played it safe.”

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells a story of a man who played it safe. He was a servant who was supposed to make an investment for his master, but instead he didn’t do anything. He admits in v.25, “…I was afraid.”

The master called this fearful servant “wicked” and “lazy” (v.26) and subjected him to the ultimate punishment (v.30).

This story warns us about the danger of becoming frozen by fear. There are risks that we must take as we make investments in the kingdom of God. But we can’t allow these risks to cause us to be afraid to do anything at all!

Take some chances for the Lord. Invest in his kingdom and trust him for the results. Then you will hear the words that every follower of Jesus longs to hear some day—“…Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:23).