What One does with the Gift of Life

Matthew 25:14-30

If you are a good storyteller people enjoy being around you, and this was true with Jesus, and we call them parables but they were stories.  All were examples to make a statement, to get across a point, and many of them had a real person like Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead.  But often we get caught up in the story and miss many of the key lessons that Jesus is conveying, such as, each of these men whom the Master entrusted with his property had the ability to manage what was entrusted to them.  “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

Have you heard the saying; “When the boss is away, the mice play” and is that not true, many of us seem to take more liberty when the boss is on vacation, or away on business.  But I do not believe that is the case in this parable, all of these men were given what they had the ability to handle, it was not laziness but fear of the Master that seemed to be the problem. 

It is important to study the work ethic of the three men and we will gain knowledge and wisdom on managing what God has entrusted to us.  Going back to the story: “He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.”  The first two men in the story put the assets to work and doubled their Masters money, but the guy with one talent put it in a safe place, but with no return for the Master.  Now the interesting thing is the Master was gone for a long time, and when he returned he expected a return on his investment.  It’s so important to remember that all three men had the ability to manage the resources and fear kept one out of the game.

The Master always returns and expects a good report on what he has trusted the servants with, and so watch the actions of the Master when he sees what the first two men have done.  “Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”

But Jesus tells us about the guy who really did not know his Master, and was controlled by fear.  “He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.”

If all you get from this is one guy blew it because of fear, and not understanding the desires of the Master, you missed the point.  For it is clear that Jesus is talking to us about what we have been entrusted with, the free gift of salvation, and the end results are what you do with this gift, and there is only two choices, open it and follow the Master, obeying His command or bury it and not receive the gift of life.  Look at the end of the story: “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice