Have you ever read the parable of the talents? Matthew captures this moment of Jesus' teaching in chapter 25 vs. 14-30 of his book. Jesus is teaching about the kingdom of heaven and what it is like. Let's back up for a minute and look at the context of this parable. The disciples come to him and ask him about the destruction of the temple. They want to know when it will happen. They want to know what to expect and when to expect it. Jesus gives some description of what that day will be like, but he doesn't say when because even he doesn't know. "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only" (24:36). Enter the parable of the talents.
Characters:
:: master ::
:: servant #1 ::
:: servant #2 ::
:: servant #3 ::
Plot:
The master summons his three servants, and according to their ability, he gives them a certain amount of talents. One talent is equivalent to 20 years wages. To put in it in today's perspective, that would be equivalent to about $800,000. To servant #1, he gives 5 talents. To servant #2, he gives 2 talents. And to servant #3, he gives 1 talent. The first two servants go away and multiply what they have been given by twice the amount. But the third servant goes and buries his talent in the ground, because he is afraid of his master. Later on, the master summons his servants to settle their accounts. To the first two servants, he replies, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master". But to the third servant he says, "You wicked, lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received interest. Therefore, take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents."
Wow. Oh to be the faithful servant with whom our master is well pleased. How scary it would be to be called wicked and lazy.
Over the weekend I went on a youth retreat to help lead worship. This passage was the theme. We all have entrustments. We all have something that the Lord has given us to use to glorify him and to spread his fame. The question is what is it? How can we use it? Here are the questions that we need to ask ourselves as believers in Christ... What is God entrusting me with? What am I doing with what I have been given? Am I multiplying it or am I burying it because I am afraid? I think that an entrustment can be almost anything. It doesn't have to be some special ability or talent. It can be whatever we have been given, that of which we simply use to bring God glory. It can be a talent, like playing a musical instrument, being good at sports, being creative, etc. But it can also be a relationship, or your personality, or anything really!
So once we identify what it is that we have been given, or what we have been entrusted with, we then have to ask ourselves, am I being faithful with it? So how do we know if we are being faithful with it or not? Here's where we can look at the different responses of the three servants to gain some insight. The first two servants don't have to say much because their faithfulness speaks for itself. The third servant, however, talks as if he wants to get as many verses in the Bible as he can. Why? Because he's giving excuses. He's defending himself. He says well master I thought you were a hard man and I was afraid so I buried my talent and I know that you reap what you don't sow and gather where you don't spread seed (babbling on and on). When you're unfaithful, you'll automatically know because you'll start to defend yourself. You'll talk a lot, and make excuses. The truth of the matter is, when you're faithful, you don't have to say anything because your actions will speak for themselves.
Wickedness brings blame. Wisdom takes responsibility.
A fool makes excuses, and because of that, he'll never change.
When we are unfaithful with what we have been given, it will be given to the one who has been faithful. If we are not faithful, we will lose what has been entrusted to us. (vs. 28)
I ask myself in this moment, as the master comes, is the response in my heart no? Because if it is, then I will be condemned as lazy and wicked.
Am I governed by fear or guided by trust?
What size risks will I take for God?
Do I share the perspective of the faithful servants or the wicked servant who was distrustful of his master?
Does my love for Jesus make me want to act like him?
These questions are sobering. These questions contain truths that exist whether we want them to or not. I've realized that you're either the faithful servant, or the wicked servant. There is no neutral. You either multiply your entrustment, or you bury it.
To illustrate this point to the youth on this trip, the staff had a "ceremony" at the beginning of the retreat in which each student received a wooden coin. They were told that this coin was their entrustment. They were to keep it on them at all times as a reminder of the Lord and what he has given to them. At the end of the retreat, a second ceremony was held, in which the students were invited to come up to the front and receive a special golden coin if they had their wooden coins with them. Basically, if they were faithful and kept up with their wooden coin, they would be rewarded with this awesome $6 coin that was designed specifically for this retreat. I watched from the stage as I strummed my guitar and participated in worship. I watched kids go to the left and receive their golden coin, and then receive smiles, hugs, and congratulations from the leaders because they were faithful servants. The master's response to them was well done my good and faithful servant. But I also watched several of the students who had either lost their coin, didn't care about it, or didn't bother to bring it as they walked to the other side of the room with looks of anger, sadness, and disappointment. Now this might seem silly, but it was a powerful moment for them. Because they were condemned by the master. They didn't get to enter into the joy of their master, and they didn't get told well done. They didn't get hugs and congratulations. They had to watch their friends participate in joy while they stood quietly on the other side. Later in the evening, Peter talked about the grace of God and invited those who didn't get golden coins to come receive one. So then I got to observe the "lazy unfaithfuls" participate in the joyous moment. Monday morning we got to hear some of the kids give their testimonies of what the Lord taught them over the weekend. I think the ones who forgot their wooden coins learned the most. They talked about how they felt so angry and disappointed with themselves. "All I had to do was keep up with a silly wooden coin, and I couldn't even do that." "I threw it on my bed and didn't even think about it." They said when they ended up receiving the golden coin, they didn't even feel like they deserved it. It's cool how powerful this illustration was for them. I think most of them really learned what it means to be faithful with what you have been given. And to those who are faithful with little, will be given even more.
One girl talked about how she was trying to figure out what her entrustment was. Then she realized it was her awkward personality. She said, "I knew I was awkward, but I didn't know He could use it."
Here are some other things that these teenagers said in front of the entire youth group and staff:
"You're never too young to mentor."
Wisdom isn't just for old people."
"God answers prayers in three ways: yes, not yet, or I have something better."
"I never felt anything before, I didn't understand "God". I didn't understand why everyone stands with their hands in the air saying Jesuuuss. But last night, when I didn't have my coin, I finally felt something. And when I got my golden coin, I finally understood what God was like. He forgives you."
"If we bury our entrustment, then we'll be even worse off than before we received it."
"Each step is a new adventure."
"Entrustment brings excitement."
"Say yes to the Lord."
It's important to understand that God entrusts us with things. He gives us things to use to impact his kingdom. And in turn, we must be faithful with what we have been given. Because ultimately, the most important thing in life is to glorify the Lord and make his name known. We can talk to strangers and maybe give them a small dose of the joy that we receive from our master. We can encourage people going through hard times. We can relate to someone by using some small piece of knowedge we have about a tv show, and then maybe that relationship will grow, and we can eventually talk to them about the Lord and how he's changed our life. We can play sports with people who are caught up in a worldly lifestyle, and maybe reach out to them. We can share our life story with someone. We can share our struggles and the difficult things that we have endured. We can be awkward. We can be serious. We can be silly. We can be whatever the Lord has given us to make an impact on someone's life.
Lord, I want to be the faithful servant. I dont' want to be wicked. I don't want to be lazy. I don't want to bury this moment, or any other. I don't want to bury what you have given me. Help me to recognize what you have entrusted to me. What I have is yours. I will not be afraid. I will trust you. I will enter into the joy of my master!
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