Faithful in Little, Faithful in Much

Deion Branch came from relative obscurity as one of the no-name New England Patriot receivers to win the XXXIX Super Bowl MVP title. With 11 catches and 133 yards, he added to his 10 catches in last year's Super Bowl to set several receiving records. He missed seven regular season games this year due to a knee injury but came back in time for the playoffs.

Interestingly, Anthony "Deion" Branch wasn't highly recruited out of his Albany, Ga., high school. Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Miss., offered him a scholarship in some respects to assure the signing of linebacker Anthony Maddox, a highly recruited teammate. At Jones, Branch worked hard and contributed significantly and in 1998, helped his team achieve a perfect 12-0 season.

Since Branch was small, most Division 1 schools passed over him after junior college. But Louisville gave him a chance, and his career as a Cardinal was stellar. He was drafted by the Patriots in 2002 in the second round, and the rest is history.

God gives everyone a chance in life. In the parable of the three servants to whom he gave various talents, two used their talents wisely. Because of their faithfulness in little things, the Master rewarded them with even broader areas of opportunity. One servant, however, buried his talents and never had another chance. This parable teaches stewardship at its most fundamental level, but don't think that Jesus was speaking only about money. All of life is a gift, and it comes directly from a gracious Heavenly Father. Many are given gifts of athletic ability. Some squander the opportunity. Others, like Deion Branch, make the most of their God-given ability. In a post-game interview, Deion gave God the credit for his outstanding game.

What will you do with the gifts God has given you? Scripture teaches that God will demand an account not only in Heaven, but also here on earth. All have talents, abilities and special gifts. Children of God are required to find out what these gifts are and maximize them for His glory.