Hello

I’ve been thinking a lot about the parable of the talents recently. The parable of the talents is well known.  I think it is one of the most challenging of Jesus’ teachings.  The parable is one of many in which Jesus tells his followers something about the Kingdom of God (referred to as the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew).  The parable is found in Matthew (25:14-30).  A similar parable is found in Luke (19:12-27).

The story, as told in Matthew, tells of a wealthy man who went away on a journey.  Before he left, he called three of his servants and entrusted them with some of his wealth. Two of the servants used the wealth wisely, made more money for their master, and were rewarded when their master returned.  The third servant just buried the money, gave it back to his master when he returned, and was punished.

I reckon the key to the message of the parable is the word “entrusted” which is found in the very first line of the story.

“Again, it (the Kingdom of Heaven) will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.” (Matthew 25:14).

If the man had given his wealth to his servants, they could have done what they liked with it.  But he didn’t give the wealth to them, he entrusted his wealth to them.  It was his wealth and it remained his wealth, and he gave his servants the responsibility of using it wisely until he returned.

The message of the parable is that our Father expects us, his servants, to use the things he has entrusted to us responsibly and we are expected to get results from the way we use those things.

The parable talks about material things. But what about the other things I’ve been entrusted with? Skills? Abilities? Whatever degree of health I have? The very time that I am allowed to spend on this planet?  Has our Father entrusted me with all these things? I think he has entrusted me with everything I have and everything I am.  And, when he asks me what I did with all those things, I hope I am going to be able to give him a satisfactory answer.

This parable is a disturbing teaching of our Lord and Savior. It’s right up there with:

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48).

These are very disturbing teachings, especially if you are, like me, a privileged, white, 21^st Century Christian living in a western democracy.  But we don’t need to worry.   All we need do is acknowledge that our loving Father owns everything and is in charge of everything.  Then we can surrender back to him everything he has entrusted to us.  I reckon if I can pray “Your will be done” about everything, and mean it from my heart, I should be OK.

Let’s pray that our loving heavenly Father will guide us and share his peace with us as we walk with him.

Peter O

 

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