An Unused Gift on the Top Shelf

Have you noticed that when tragedy occurs, like that at Sandy Hook, faith shows up?  Crises bring it out. In their helplessness, people turn to God. But where is faith the rest of the time?

Have you ever given a gift to a close friend, sibling, or parent that you never saw him or her using until one day you happen to notice it on the top shelf of their closet—unopened and unused? You tried to hide your disappointed. But I wonder if this is not how many Christians deal with God’s most precious gift to them—the gift of faith (Eph. 2:8). God is no less disappointed (Heb. 11:6) that we put His gift, metaphorically speaking, on a top shelf—unused!

During one life-threatening crisis, the Disciples panicked and cried  out to Jesus. After calming things, he asked, "Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:24-25). Then on another helpless occasion, they asked the Lord to increase their faith! But the Lord responded by saying even the smallest faith, if used, could produce great things (Luke 17:5-6). In other words, if we were using the gift of faith, He would never have to say “Where is your faith,” or “What did you do with the faith I already gave you?”