Christians and their Talents

This message is dedicated to the:-
Christian Reader: To explain to Christians the choices we can make with the talents entrusted to us by God and their consequences
Non-Christian Reader: Further understanding of the parable of the talents.

Let us look at THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS in the bible (Matthew 26:14-30).

Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent 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 talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. 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 the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents. 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 the one talent 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 talent 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. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

There are quite a number of things to grasp from this parable. The first thing we will look at are the ‘talents’. The talents are very large amounts of money. We ask ourselves, “Why has the master given so much to each of his servants and to each a different amount was given? Some had more than others while others had less. The reason is this – the master knew his servants abilities and gave each servant a number of talents according to their own capabilities (EACH ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN ABILITY). This was NOT due to one servant being better than another. The talents were distributed on the basis of ability, not as the bestowment of ability.

Now this was on the responsibility of the servant. Each servant had the choice to either:-
1) Work hard to invest their talent(s) at the best of their ability, being faithful and obedient to their master.
or to ultimately
2) Ignore the resources they were given and the abilities they possessed (this includes labor), ultimately being lazy and disobedient to their master.

The first two servants received three things:-
1) The praise and acknowledgment from their master. “Well done, good and faithful servant!"
2) Because they have been proven to be faithful to their master, the master has entrusted them with many more things, in other words, with greater responsibilities.
3) "Come and share your master's happiness!" These servants have been invited to share in their master’s happiness.

So you may ask, what is this "happiness" that they were sharing? A business man will be overjoyed when he has made a profit. Our Lord and His angels will be joyous like our business man, when one lost sinner has found salvation in Christ. Faithful and obedient servants in Christ will share in God's happiness, when they see the rewards of their labor. Those that have been faithful in the Lord WILL be rewarded with eternal life. Although the first servant gained more profit than the second servant, both of these servants received the same rewards. These rewards are the three things stated above. Hence it clearly emphasizes that our God knows and will entrust us according to our abilities. He will not overburden us. However, it is up to us whether we are willing to toil and persevere for the Lord faithfully.

We must take into account that the master left for a long time as it is stated in verse 19, “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.” Through this verse it clearly shows that these servants had plenty of time to use their resources given to them (the talents), investing it (with their abilities and labor) and to ultimately reap a harvest for their master.

Talents (our resources, blessings etc.) + Our abilities + The time we have on this earth = Profit

So what about the third servant? He possessed the things stated above. The resources given to him by his master, according to his ability and sufficient time to invest before his master's returned. As it can be seen in the parable, this unfaithful servant DID NOT use what was entrusted to him because he did not have the heart to serve his master. A servant with a heart against the master, will not achieve any profit for the master. This lazy servant did not labor nor use any of the skills he possessed. This lazy servant was not only lazy but was unfaithful to the master by not wanting to invest the money in a bank. As a result, the master labeled him as a wicked and lazy servant. This servant was then thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' God has entrusted us with resources according to our own ability. However, it is up to us if we are to be faithfully using the resources God has given to us and labor for the Lord. We are to labor for our Lord, according to our own ability to gain for His kingdom. Those that are unfaithful, disobedient and lazy will not share a part in the kingdom of God. They will spend an eternity separated from God. These "servants" have not just lost their rewards but also their God given stewardship.

This third servant, when confronted, comes up with an excuse that his master is a hard man. If this servant really had fear instilled in his heart, then he would have invested his talent for his master's profit. We are reminded, that this same master entrusted each of the servants with talents according to their abilities. If he really was a hard master, he would have entrusted each with many things and demanded outrageous claims, or even worse he would have entrusted them with NOTHING. Yet this master was kind, righteous and fair.

God has entrusted us with talents according to our own ability. This parable clearly shows us that God DOES NOT expect us nor will He make us do anything that is BEYOND OUR ABILITY. He knows our limits. An example, would be that some of us may not have as much opportunity to be able to labor and preach the gospel for the Lord as compared to others, due to studies or family or any other things you may already be carrying. God has entrusted us according to our abilities. God will not demand from us beyond what we can do. THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE TO DO NOTHING! We have been given a large amount of time. An ENTIRE LIFETIME to share the gospel with others and at the same time follow the callings and commands of Christ. The Lord has given us enough time and resources, until He returns. So my friend, are you going to faithfully use those God entrusted resources?