Parable of the Talents

At this week’s men's fellowship and prayer gathering Zoran, a man for whom I have developed a deep respect for his wisdom and the depth of maturity in his walk with God, shared a reflection about the passage of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:12-28). In this parable Jesus shares about 3 men and their master. The master who is going away for a time gives 1 talent to one man, 2 talents to another man, and 5 talents to the third man. When the master returns they all come before him to make account. The first man who, was given 2 talents returns with 4 - having invested wisely and received favorable return and the man who was given 5 talents likewise returns with 10 talents. The master applauds these two men, calling them “good and faithful”, and he rewards them by placing many responsibilities in their hands. But the man who was given 1 talent returns only with the one talent - having feared the master and buried the talent. 

Zoran asked why did Jesus share this parable? Zoran proposed that it was not just to tell us this is the way it is, but that we would desire the more talents; that we would want to be like the man with 5 talents. We then talked about why did Jesus include the man with two talents? Why not just one faithful servant and one unfaithful servant, instead of two faithful servants with different levels of talents? We talked about how we may also be the one with two talents, but we should not compare ourselves with or despise the man with more talents, but rather be grateful for the blessings we have received and faithful to use them for God’s glory – that we can account to God showing how His gifts to us have grown and been multiplied in us and in others – not held to ourselves or buried. The master applauded the servant who returned with four talents just the same as he did the one who returned with 10 (although he did later give the one talent from the unfaithful servant to the servant who returned with 10).

Why did the master give different amounts of talents to begin with? He must have known the abilities of the servants and what they were capable of – just as God knows the condition of our hearts and our faithfulness. So, we should ask ourselves - what are the blessings that God has given me and if they seem few it is because of my lack of faith and trust in God – God knows what I am ready for. But no matter how big God's blessings in my life, am I investing them wisely to grow that they may be multiplied in my life and the lives of others?