the talents

Opening Prayer:  Lord Jesus, tell your story to my heart and soul today, and help me to find you, as well as myself, right in the middle of it.  Help me to never forget that this life is about your kingdom, not my own.  Amen.

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30

Journal: Who can you relate to most in this parable?  Why?  What do you do with the talents you have been given?  Is it more about you or more about the kingdom?  What is the master saying to you today through this parable?

Reflection: The story of the talents has always intrigued me.  Jesus was nearing the end of his earthly life and had just been asked by his disciples what it would look like when the end came.  Specifically, they asked him when would it happen and what would be the sign of his coming again and of the end of the age.  His answer to those questions prompted a rather lengthy response, probably because of their importance, as well as the timing involved.  He wasn’t going to be around much longer and wanted the disciples to know what they were to be about in his absence.  The story of the talents was one of three different stories he told highlighting the importance of their role in the process. 

The parable involved three different servants, who were each given a certain amount of talents by their master, according to his ability.  The key being, not how many each was given, but what each chose to do with them.  Two of the servants put their talents to work and earned their master, both doubling what they were originally given.  But the servant who was given just one talent was afraid.  He decided to bury his talent in the ground so that it wouldn’t be lost, and, thus, he gained nothing for his master.  His fear had paralyzed him.  Probably because he was more focused on himself that he was on the kingdom.  Fear does that; it tends to turn us in on ourselves.

The intriguing part of the parable to me are the options that are not given.  I mean, aren’t we all just a messy combination of both the faithful and fearful servants?  I don’t know that I’ve ever felt like I fit neatly into any one of those three categories.  I know that the bottom line of the story is to be faithful with what you have been given, but why not have a character who chose to put the master’s talents to work, only to lose them all?  Probably to remind us that all that is given for the kingdom is never lost, regardless of what it might look like.  On the surface our efforts might look like a miserable failure, but because the effort was given to and for the master, and his kingdom, there is no way to lose.

Or why not have a servant who was given a number of talents and made some in return, but chose to keep some for himself rather than give them all to the master.  Maybe he was given five and made five more, but kept one or two for his trouble.  This is a possibility that really challenges me.  Not in terms of financial gain, but in terms of affirmation and adoration and applause.  That is the kind of currency I tend to keep for myself.  Do I use my talents for God and his kingdom?  Absolutely.  But I also use those very same talents to gain the praise and admiration of others.  Which makes me wonder, what would the master have to say to me today?

Prayer

Closing Prayer:  Lord Jesus, thank you that you call us to be faithful, not to be impressive.  Help us to give ourselves for your kingdom each and every day, knowing that all that is given is not lost.  For at the end of our days, we all long to hear you say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” regardless of what everyone else has to say.