“For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”

— Matthew 25:29

Does this text seem fair to you? After all, why would someone who has an abundance get more? And shouldn’t the person with nothing receive something?

Jesus described the principle of this passage on five separate occasions in different forms. This verse is the basis for the principle of use: “Use it or lose it.” We see this principle at work in a variety of contexts. For example, in the physical realm, the arm of the blacksmith or the body of the football player becomes more and more muscular through exercise. In the work world, the person who has the ability and desire for a job usually finds more opportunities to work and improve his or her skills. As for moral conscience, our character develops in proportion to the Bible-based choices we make day after day.

And, of course, this principle applies to the spiritual realm. Charles Spurgeon spoke of two great principles of grace. The first one is that God gives grace to the empty, needy, poor, and humble. The second one is that to those to whom God has granted His grace, He continues to grant more. The more grace we need, the more grace He makes available to us.

To receive more grace from God, we must use the grace He has already given us. Some people are like the little boy riding the rocking horse . . . they exhibit a lot of motion but little progress. These people keep bustling with activity in hopes of earning salvation, but they haven’t taken advantage of the grace God has already freely given. Others may resemble a grapevine that doesn’t grow because, instead of being planted in deep soil, its roots dangle into an empty well. Instead of growing in grace, some people wither spiritually because they haven’t planted themselves in God’s grace from the start. And others are like a sailboat with sails full of wind yet unable to move because it is still anchored to the ocean floor. Instead of moving forward in God’s grace, people like this let sin weigh them down.

Have you received the grace God makes available to us all? Determine today that you will use to the fullest all the grace God has given you. Then watch as He gives you more!

What “little foxes” do you need to attend to today? Commit yourself to addressing these “minor” issues, and watch how your conscientiousness affects the grander scheme of your life.

“When God pours out his initial grace upon us,
it is a harbinger of grace to come.”