Last Saturday, in Stories Jesus Told, Part 7, we saw from the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids that the “wise” followers of Christ are prepared. We have a relationship with God, our hearts are filled with His Spirit, and we shine for Him—even when we become apathetic. The job of the “wise” is to disciple the “foolish” so that they, too, will have enough “oil” for the long wait!
The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids is followed immediately by another: the Parable of the Talents, as recorded in Matthew 25:14–30. Before leaving on a long trip, a rich man entrusts some of his wealth to three servants. He gives five talents to one, two to another, and to the third, he gives one. The servants with five and two talents invest their money and end up with double what they were given, while the servant with one talent buries his. Upon his return, the two servants who invested their money were praised: “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21/23 NRSVUE), while the one who buried his money was chastised: “Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.” (Matthew 25:27 NRSVUE). His one talent was taken from him, and he was thrown into the “…outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:30b NRSVUE)
It is important to realize that while the parable specifically mentions “talents”–a measure of wealth–God gives us many different types of blessings and gifts. We also see that God gives to us as much as He knows we can handle. Notice that the men who were given two and one talents weren’t chastised for not being able to manage five. We don’t see these two men comparing themselves to the one who got more. We should never compare ourselves to others to whom God has given more or less. We must simply be responsible for what He has given us! Finally, we understand that the rich man entrusted the talents to his servants, fully expecting a return. This reminds us that every blessing, every gift of God, is entrusted to us, and we are asked to be good stewards of those gifts.
There are three things that we can do with God’s gifts:
1. We can “bury” them: when we keep God’s blessings and gifts for ourselves, we are burying them! Yes, this includes our homes, our cars, our food, our savings, even our jobs. If we never use these things to bless others, we are burying them.
2. We can put them in the bank so that they draw interest: this is like lending our car to someone who needs it, giving the clothing you no longer need to the poor, giving your surplus food to the food banks, giving a handout to the beggar on the street
3. We can invest them: being a regular driver for that person who needs a ride, cooking for a week for the sick family next door, and when they are again, teaching them how to make that soup they liked so much and providing them with food stamps so they can purchase the ingredients. It would be like taking someone without a coat down to the store and buying them a complete set of winter wear. It would be like taking that beggar on the street for a cup of coffee and a hot meal, giving them a book of gift certificates to a local coffee shop, and then checking on them once in a while to make sure they have a warm place to sleep.
God prefers it when we invest, but He’s happy when we simply put the gifts where they can earn interest. What He doesn’t like is when we bury them by using them only for ourselves. What will you do with the many blessings and gifts God has entrusted to you? If you make the effort to invest them, or even if you simply let them earn interest, you will earn a, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave…” (Matthew 25:21a/23a NRSVUE). Using them only for ourselves, however, brings down His wrath: “…throw him into the outer darkness….” (Matthew 25:30b NRVSUE)
I challenge you today to ask God how you can invest what He has entrusted to you, because when you do, the joy that comes from giving will bless you even more!
Please join us next Saturday for the final part of “Stories Jesus Told.”
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
(To access the entire “Stories Jesus Told” mini-series, please click here!)
