Matthew 25:14-30 tells a story of a man who went traveling into a far country. He called his servants to him, giving them each an amount of money, according to their individual abilities. To one he gave five talents; to another he handed two talents; and to a third, knowing that he could not handle a heavy load of responsibility, he gave him just one talent.
The first servant, knowing that his master was just, but austere, went out immediately and put the five talents to work for him. He investigated many business ventures before deciding what he would do with the money. Satisfied with his decision, he invested it.
The second servant didn’t have as much to work with. His master, when he handed him the two talents, said nothing further. He didn’t tell him how to spend or invest the money. But this servant, although not quite as smart as the first man, knew that his master intended for him to use it wisely. He went to work to figure out how he could best utilize what his master had entrusted to him.
The third servant, known for his laziness, received just one talent. He looked at it, wondering what good one little talent would do. How could he use such a pittance? He thought about his master, remembering the times he had rebuked him for his laziness. He was quite afraid of his master. He clutched the talent in his hand. Going quickly to his quarters he sat down to think. Yes! That’s what he would do! He would not spend his master’s money. No. That would be wrong. He would put it away in a safe place, not telling anyone where it was. In fact, he told no one that he even had the talent. Every once in awhile he would pull the talent out and look at it. But then, thinking about how stern his master was, he hid it away again.
When the lord returned from his mission, he called his servants to him, expecting them to give an account of themselves. The first servant came in. He stood tall and proud in front of his master. In his hands he brought the accounting books, proof of how he had spent his lord’s money. The master was pleased. Although he didn’t say anything right then, he gave him one of his rare smiles. He asked him to step aside.
The second servant came in. Humbly he stepped up to the desk where his master was seated and handed him his records. With head bowed, he waited for his master to speak. He wasn’t ashamed at how he had spent his lord’s money, but he wasn’t as self-assured as his mate. The master looked at the records. After some time he said, “Well done! You are a good and faithful servant. Please step up beside your fellow-servant.”
Now it was time for the third servant to come before his lord. “Well, servant” said the Lord in his booming voice, “What have you to say for yourself. I am very pleased with servant number one and servant number two. They have each doubled what I gave them. I suppose you have done as well?”
Servant number three was trembling. Clutched tightly in his hand was the original talent. He stepped up to the lord’s desk and opened up his hand. “Here, sir is your talent. I have not squandered it. I have not spent it. I was afraid that no matter what I did with it I would not please you. I hid my talent away in a safe place. I was afraid to make a mistake, so I did nothing with it.”
The lord seized the talent from the servant. “You wicked and lazy servant. Get out of my sight. I will deal with you later.”
With the third servant gone, the master stood before the other two. He handed out the rewards he had reserved for them. To the first servant he gave the talent, which the third servant had returned to him. He said, “You deserve this, for you handled the goods I gave you well. Take this and invest it as well.”
It would appear that the talent spoken of here is money, but it applies also to God-given physical or mental talents, no matter how insignificant they may seem to you. Perhaps your talent is helping those in need. Or perhaps you have musical or artistic ability. Maybe you are good at story telling, writing, poetry. Or maybe your talent is even more humble than that. Maybe it is just doing humble housework, or garbage collecting, or being a servant. It doesn’t matter. God gives each of us at least one talent. He expects us to put it to use.
But it is not yours alone;
For someday He will call you
To stand before the throne.
He’ll say, “Where is that treasure
I gave to you that day?
Did you use it for My purpose?
Or is it stored away?”
God does not say, “See what you can do with what I gave given you.” He says, “I will hold you accountable for what I have given you.”
See also: What Are Your Talents?
© Helen Dowd