Above: The Talents, 1908 by artist Eugène Burnand (1850-1921).
————————————-
Matthew 25:14-30:
(Jesus said), “It will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold (‘talents’ in older translations), to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
“His master replied, ‘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!”
“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
“His master replied, ‘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!’
“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
*********************
Some of the parables of Jesus are difficult to understand, but not this one. The first two servants put their master’s money to work, received double on their investments, and were praised for their faithful service. The third servant did not even put the money in the bank where he could have at least received interest, but he buried it in the ground where it did not do anyone any good. He was not praised, but was cast out into the darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. The lesson is clear. The master wants his servants to use what he has given them to do his business.
This is what Gods’ kingdom is like, Jesus said as he began this chapter. As citizens of God’s Kingdom here on earth, we are to use what we have been given– our time, our talents, and our treasure– to do God’s business in His world. The whole world and all that is in it is the Lord’s. God lets you use a little bit of it for a little while, and He wants you to use it well, doing his work with the blessings He has given you.
Of course, a part of God’s work for you is to sustain the life he has given you, take care of those people in your family that he has given you to care for, and to support the communities in which you live. But once that has been done in a reasonable and modest way, God wants you to use your time and money to serve your church, and, to serve others who are in need; again, doing God’s work with the resources He has given you to use. It is all God’s, and God does not want you to spend everything He has given you on yourself. Most of us could afford to be far more generous. Will you use what the Lord has given you in such a way that you will one day hear the words of Jesus in the parable, “Well done, good and faithful servant”?
I don’t mean just more money in the offering plate. I mean a whole life of generosity, creating in ourselves a spirit of generosity, using whatever we have been given to do God’s work whenever and wherever we see a need.
We must not forget what an abundance of opportunities has been placed before us by just being born here and not somewhere else. It is certainly true that there are many who are poor by their own actions and choices, but we must not from our position of blessing and privilege forget the many who are poor because they have never had the opportunities we have had. We have been given the opportunity, and the command to help other children of God. As Jesus said, we are stewards of what God has given us to use, managers of what still belongs to Him. Remember that whatever you have, one day you will have to let it all go. It will be turned over from you, to someone else to manage; again, only for a little while. It is for you to be faithful right now with what you have been given for the brief time you are allowed to have it.
******************************************
Purify my intentions, Lord, that in all my actions I may bring glory to Your name. I pray that I may live in such a way that I may one day hear You say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.
Related Posts
