Sometimes I get inspiration for blogs at odd times. I write my thoughts on slips of paper which can end up in the dark crevasses of my desk, never again to see the light of day.
Yesterday, as I procrastinated a deadline, I was cleaning my desk and found this chicken scratch note.
The inspiration for blogs isn’t always good looking.
One of my favorite of Jesus’ teachings is Matthew 25, the Parable of the Talents. In this story a Master is going on a trip and he entrusts varying amounts of gold to his servants to watch over while he is away. He would later return to see what they did with his treasure and be met with varying results.
The analogy in this parable relates to not just money, but also to our own talents, abilities or God-given gifts.
I speak on this topic regularly, and each time I read this passage I glean new insight.
This passage teaches 2 principles for good treasure management:
Principle #1: Don’t focus on the DIFFERENCE
Everyone is given different talents. For example, there are many great Women’s Speakers who have 5 talents, and in comparison, maybe I have 1 or 2. But if I compare myself to them, I will never properly multiply my own talents, because I will be looking at what they have, not what I have.
But, we cannot always look at different talents (i.e. 5, 2,1 in the parable) as only quantities. They are merely different, as letters in the alphabet are different. A is different than B or C. Not better, just different.
We get so caught up comparing differences to others that it prevents us from using what we do have!
Servant Three was given 5 talents, and Servant Two was given 2. But Servant Two doesn’t focus on the reasons he only got 2, nor does he argue with the Master about why he got a different amount of gold. Instead he works with what he is given and multiplies it!
Principle #2: It takes WORK to multiply our talents
Servant One and Servant Two doubled their talents. The Master is overjoyed at the results! The NKJV says, “Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.”
His talents didn’t magically multiply…he worked hard to double his treasure. He may have been blessed by “more” talents than Servant One or Two, but he still had to get out there and use them to grow them.
On the other hand, Servant One buried his talent in the ground. Perhaps he was jealous of the other servants because they got more gold than him. But in the end, his jealousy, fear, anger – whatever caused him to get out the shovel – left him in deep trouble with the Master upon his return. He did not WORK with what was given. And he paid the price.
We are all given different gifts. But the amount given doesn’t change the Master’s expectations.
What counts is what we do with what we’re given.
Will you bury? Or will you multiply?