Matthew 25:14-30- The Parable of the Talents
In this parable Jesus tells a story of a master who entrusts his possessions to his slaves while he goes on a journey. To one slave he gives 5 talents, to another 2 talents and to another 1 talent. While their master is gone the first two take and double their talents. The third slave takes and buries his (to keep it safe of course). When the master returns he is very pleased with the first two slaves. But with the third, he gets angry:
“You wicked, lazy slave, 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 my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.”
Why is the master so angry? It’s not like the slave did anything bad… He didn’t steal or embezzle or defraud. No he didn’t, but the master was angry because he did nothing at all. Nothing! He was given a gift an opportunity, and he took it and kept it hidden and unused.
I have heard this parable who knows how many times, but for some reason when I read it this time it seemed to mirror my life a little more than I like to admit. I started to look back at the last year or so of my life, what passion was driving my actions? Or more likely, was there passion driving my actions at all? The answer… No… There really wasn’t. I was stuck in a comfortable, steady, stagnant rut. A humdrum existence and it started to wear on me. It’s not like I had stopped loving God or stopped following Him, but I wasn’t growing at all. I was the third servant; my “talent” was buried away kept safe and sound… and unused.
Well I’m ready to dig it up, get out of this rut and find my passion. I’m ready to live, really live and for something other than myself. I want my life to come as close as I can to realizing the goodness God intended for it. Wouldn’t you?
So I’m waking up, I’m going on this missions trip and I’m living my life for God… and I know that it will all be worth it.
