Over the years, Matthew 25:14-30 (MSG) has
gone by many different names. Among them are “The Parable of the Loaned Money,”
“The Story about Investment,” “The Parable of the Bags of Gold,” “The Parable
of Three Servants,” and “The Parable of the Talents.”
A parable is a straightforward narrative
illustrating a spiritual (or moral) truth. Can you read this familiar parable
below from the scripture, and come to the lesson of it before I reveal it later?
“It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his
servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand
dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their
abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled
his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single
thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money.
“After a long absence, the master of those three servants came
back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him
how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You
did your job well. From now on be my partner.’
“The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled
his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job
well. From now on be my partner.’
“The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have
high standards and hate careless ways that you demand the best and make no
allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good
hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the
last cent.’
“The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s
criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why
did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been
to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little
interest.
“‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most.
And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out
into utter darkness.’
I am sure the master was
fully aware of how his servants would invest the financial assets he gave each of
them. (In my eyes this was a test). Over the years, he’d observed the
personality (and character) of each servant. The master would have been fully
aware of what each servant’s reaction was in this parable.
On a spiritual level, no
one knows when Jesus will come back to Earth for His children one day. (Matthew
24:36) He expects us to use our talents intelligently to help others. There is
no acceptable excuse to not use all that God has given you for His glory.
The Heavenly Father has
given you certain abilities that others do not have. Why would you deprive
others of a blessing that is on loan to you from the Almighty? One day God (the
Judge) will demand you give an account of all He has entrusted you with.
(Revelations 20:12-13) How will you answer that day?
The following verses provide
understanding into what a person’s true priorities are. Read them, and see if you
agree with their insight.
“Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down
that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret
it bitterly ever after.” I Timothy 6:10 (MSG)
“The place where your treasure is; is the place you will most want
to be, and end up being.” Luke
12:34 (MSG)
*Adapted from the article, “Timeless
Talents,” by me on October 12, 1981.
**The new e-mail address for this blog is
encouragementguru@gmail.com
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