Talents

One morning this week I awoke around 4 a.m. Usually, when I'm awakened that early the Lord has something to say and He will place whatever that is it on my heart. Sure enough, still sleepy-eyed He brought the parable of the talents to my mind. He laid out in a quick visual order how He wanted it presented in another blog. He used members of my family as an example to make it clear. So here we go. The parable is found in Matthew 25: 14-30. It is best if you read it now or even later if you can. Most Christians are familiar or somewhat familiar with the verses. But in short, Jesus told a parable about what the Kingdom of heaven is like. He made clear to me that he was speaking about the KINGDOM OF not the actual "location of" heaven but rather how it works, it's governing if you will. Well, that got my attention! The verses tell of a man who would be traveling to a far country and before leaving left his servants talents (a talent was a weight of currency for Romans & Greeks. Today its a word used equivalently to aptitude or skills) ... in the parable the man gave 5, 2 and 1 talents to his servants respectively and did so ACCORDING TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL ABILITIES. When the man returned the parable explains that he asked how each of his servants used their talent(s). Now to what the Lord showed me.

I have 3 siblings and without using their names, I'm using them in this blog AS AN EXAMPLE ONLY to help explain this parable.
Jesus informs my siblings and me that He is going away for a time but would return one day. However, before going He gives us each a skill, a "talent" (or talents) and He wanted us to use them to multiply His Kingdom here on earth. And when returning we knew to expect that He would collect what was gained by investing our talents.
Jesus came to my first and eldest sister. To her, He gave 8 wonderful talents.
Jesus came to my second sister and gave her 5 talents.
To me, well I received 2 talents.
To my youngest brother, Jesus gave 1 talent.

After a long time, Jesus returns. He approaches my oldest sister and asks what she did with her 8 talents. She answers, "Look, Jesus, I took the 8 talents that you gave me, bought a ticket to New Guinea, built a missionary there and low and behold after a few years I was able to build 3 more! There are pastors, preachers, and helpers bringing people to Christ. Jesus smiled and said, "Well done my faithful servant! Enter into the joy of the Lord." Jesus approached my second sister and asks how she used her 5 talents. She answers, "Look, Jesus! I spent my 5 talents just on paper and pens. And with that, began writing novels about the love of Jesus and His saving grace. And wow, my books sold! Many people who didn't know you before learned about you and turned their lives to you!" Jesus smiled and said, "Well done my faithful servant! Enter into the joy of the Lord." Then Jesus approached me! "Well, Pat, what did you do with the 2 talents I gave you?" "Lord," I said, "I'm not an author but by chance, though I was nervous, used the 2 talents you gave me to speak clearly and began writing blogs about what you've taught me, hoping that I might give clarity to those who find the Bible hard to understand. I'm not sure I've gained much, but I did as you wanted. I did not waste my talent." Jesus looked at me with eyes of love and a sweeping smile across His face and pronounced, "Well done my faithful servant! Enter into the joy of the Lord." To my youngest brother, Jesus asked the same ..."And what about the 1 talent I blessed you with? How did you use it?" Instead of "investing" what Jesus gave him, my brother buried his in the ground and answers, "I fear you and I know you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you never scattered seed. So I hid my talent in the ground. I never used it. Here have it back." Jesus replies, " You wicked and lazy servant! You knew I was coming back and that I was expecting you to do something with the talent I gave you! I'm taking the talent from you and giving it to your older sister!" This is what I saw. What is meant by this?

The underlying tone of the younger brother, besides being lazy is, he thought Jesus was being harsh, unfair, and fearsome to even ask him to use his talent. He simply didn't want to make the effort so he hid his talent by burying it in the ground hoping his slothfulness would never be discovered. And note! The younger brothers answer to Jesus indicates he thought he shouldn't be blamed or punished for his slothfulness because after all, he answered Jesus basically saying, "Here have it back Jesus, at least it wasn't wasted." WRONG! An unused talent given to you by God is a wasted talent. Notice how this brother tried to put the blame on Jesus instead of taking responsibility for his own actions ...I know you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you never scattered seed. So basically because he thought Jesus was being harsh he blamed Jesus for his own lazy actions! The "talents" in the parable represented by money (because money invested gains interest) represents the various TALENTS God gives HIS SERVANTS/His followers to use and multiply His Kingdom on earth. What is the conclusion then? Jesus said in Matthew 25:29-30 " For unto every one that has, there shall be more given, and he shall have abundance: but from him, that has not it shall be taken away even that which he has. Therefore, cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." WHY was the brother who hid his talent punished so severely? The deeper theme of the parable is not money but loyalty! Loyalty to the master is demonstrated through faithful stewardship. Stewardship is a lifestyle and its how Gods Kingdom was set up. It is the lifestyle of one who accepts God as loving Maker and Savior. Willingly we serve Him with our talents. One last note: it doesn't matter how much talent you have, a lot or little, but that whatever you have been given, you are to use it to serve and promote The Kingdom of God. It could be a talent in writing, teaching, preaching, counseling, blessing others, visiting the sick, witnessing, standing for Christ, not being ashamed of the gospel and posting scriptures on Facebook, volunteering in your church body, uplifting the downtrodden, clothing the poor, etc. Whatever shows the world the love of Jesus and expands the good news of the gospel is our duty as stewards of that gospel. And did you notice, no matter how much or how little each servant invested, all of them were rewarded the same? Never think you have too little to offer to make a difference! Until next time ...
-Pat-