Use It! Give It!
Matthew 25:14-30 ESV
“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. 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. 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.’ 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. 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.’
What will you do
with your God given talent?
Our word talent has some origins in this parable by
Jesus. Originally it was used as a measure of weight. In this context a talent
was worth around fifteen years of wages. In the modern-day use of talent, we
think of talented people in music, business, mechanics and all kinds of various
skills used within a community.
Everyone has talents. There is a wide variety of
talents in this world. Amazing talents, God given and honed and practiced by
humans all over. A true talent produces no envy and no pride. We each have a
talent or more than one with differing expertise in each. And that’s okay.
This parable,
however, makes me think of baptism. Rather the results of baptism. In baptism
we are given the Holy Spirit to lead and guides us throughout life.
The results are
reflected in the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed dealing with sanctification.
In baptism we are claimed by God. We are given salvation, without doing
anything, on our part. Through the Holy Spirit we are led into a new life out
of the waters of our baptism, to live in joy with God. Through the Holy Spirit
we are called, gathered, and enlightened, and gifted with talents. God gives us
all that we need to live today and forever… “Our daily bread.” In the giving we
are called to share the Gospel and our freely given talents with all those God
gives to us each and every day.
During the time of this parable, money was originally
hidden to keep it safe. We see this with the One-Talent man but the others use
the given talents to produce more. Instead of just keeping the talents safe,
they are multiplied.
Ancient interest rates were very high. Investors looked
for a minimum a 100% profit.
The talents given by the Master in this parable were given
to be used.
We are not to guard what we are given. We are gifted to
use the gifts God gives to us.
Which poses a question. Was the One-Talent man
resentful towards the others? Was he afraid of what the Master would say? Maybe
yes is the answer to each of these questions.
Those who share their talents enter into communion with
God and one another. And those servants who produced more, also entered into the
joy of the master.
I know, I’ve been bouncing back and forth from the Parable
to the meaning for us today. So, here is my take at this passage and what I
hear.
Even if you are a one talent man, your God and your
neighbor depends on you and needs you. You just may have that one talent that’s
the missing key on the piano, or the one bell in the bell choir, or that one
transistor in the radio, that without you and your talent, the whole is ruined.
You have to give up your talent to all those God gives
to you, each and every day, day after day.
In the giving up of yourself IS the joy of the feast
and the welcome arms of Christ. Jesus gave himself for you. The Holy Spirit
gives you all you need and the Father preserves your life into eternity.
As God’s Children, we are baptized and called to live a
life with, and in, God. We are called to joyfully give up our talents and watch
and see what God does. We are called to give up everything to God…
Or… Be cast out as useless.
What will you do with your God given talent?
Lord, you prepared a sacrifice and gave it up in Jesus.
You are my God! Keep me and all those you give to me awake that we may live in
the light of Christ… today… tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen
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