A Time for Faithful Service

Have you ever received a coupon for something that’s free? There’s only one drawback. If you can see the fine print on the bottom of the coupon it says, “Offer ends November 30, 2023.” If I don’t use it by then, I lose it. The same can be true about our physical fitness and our brains. The less physically and mentally active we are, the more ability we lose. Use it or lose it.

Jesus told us a story that was all about using it or losing it. A man who was going on a journey summoned his servants before he left. He entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave 5 bags of gold, to the second, 2 bags of gold, and to the third, 1 bag of gold. At first it doesn’t sound like much. For some perspective on the man’s generosity and trust, a talent was worth about 6000 denarii, or about 20 years’ wages. So, 5 talents could be worth as much as $6 million! Was that the wisest choice he could make? He was fabulously wealthy. He was going away for a while and didn't tell his servants when he would return. He was extremely trusting. He could have handed his family the possessions, or turned it all over to bankers to take care of it while he was gone. Instead, he trusted his servants.

Who could the master represent? The master went away on a long journey. No one knew when he was coming back. It’s a picture of Jesus! How rich is Jesus? Everything belongs to him. Paul said, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16 NIV). Jesus created all things, and they were all made “for him.” He owns it all. No one can measure his wealth. He is the master of all!

Who might the servants be in Jesus’ story? This takes place the day after Palm Sunday. He and his disciples were walking around the temple complex and discussing its beauty. Jesus told them this story. So the servants in the story would be Jesus’ disciples, along with everyone who believes in him. That includes you and me!

What are the “bags of gold”? Here’s a different translation of verse 15. “To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to still another one talent, each according to his own ability” (Matthew 25:15 EHV). In Jesus’ story, a talent was an ancient unit of value – 20 years’ wages. Jesus’ Word gives it a deeper meaning. Do you know what the definition of a talent is? “a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude; general intelligence or mental power: ability; the natural endowments of a person.”

Jesus made everything and is fabulously wealthy beyond our imagination. Jesus entrusts us with that fabulous wealth, but he doesn’t give us any more than we’re able to manage. He has given a wealth of talents to each of us “according to our own ability.”

Every talent, every ability, every skill is a strength which Jesus has provided. How could we identify what our talents are? “What do we enjoy doing?” The answer helps us identify a talent. For example, if I would ask Rebecca or Mona what they enjoy doing, they could answer, “Quilting.” So, what skills does a quilter need? The ability to sew, but it’s so much more. They have an eye for color, pattern and shape. They are organized and able to follow their plan for piecing and then quilting. They have good hand-eye coordination that allows them to cut and sew in straight lines. Jesus entrusted this incredible talent to them!

Does Jesus also expect them to be auto mechanics? Should they be able to look under a hood and identify all the parts? What if they don’t know the difference between an air conditioner compressor and an alternator? They don’t need to, because Jesus didn’t give them that talent. He only gave them what they needed, each according to their ability.

There are all kinds of different tests that a person can take to identify their talents. I have used one called “StrengthsFinder.” Out of 36 possible strengths it identified my top 5. Adaptability – I’m able to go with the flow. Positivity – I’m upbeat and can get others excited about what they’re going to do. Developer – I’m able to cultivate the potential in others. Maximizer – I try to transform something strong into something superb. Includer – I recognize when people feel left out and try to include them. Those may be some of my talents, but no matter who we are, no matter how much we like to do or don’t like to do, we all have at least one talent, one ability, one skill that Jesus entrusted to us!

Once the master left on his journey, “The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more” (Matthew 25:16–17 NIV). Jesus didn’t say how the servant put the talents to work. He just did. The result? Each servant doubled the master’s investment, proving that his trust was well-placed.

Think about everything Jesus has entrusted to us. We have time – 24 hours every day. We all have income – some more, some less. We all have eyes to see, ears to hear, and mouths to speak. Even so, we aren’t all the same. Some of us need glasses or hearing aids. Some are excellent extroverted conversationalists while others are extreme introverts and terrified of personal interactions. We all have at least one thing we enjoy, one thing we’re good at. The question is, what will we do with everything Jesus has entrusted to us?

We need to use it! We put our money to work when our love for him motivates us to make him the number one priority with our regular gifts, and then when we take care of our families, the needy, our taxes, and then our fun time. We use our eyes to see the needs of others, our ears to hear their hurts and struggles, and our mouths to offer words of encouragement and prayers on their behalf. If we have the gift of organization we help keep things on track at home, work, and church. If we are able to do electrical work or plumbing, we can put those gifts to work for the people around us. Cooks and bakers bless us with delicious treats. We use our time to clean and do maintenance work. The list goes on and on. The good news is we have every talent that we need to be successful as Jesus’ servants.

The third servant didn’t use his talent. He “went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money” (Matthew 25:18 NIV). He had what the master had given him. He simply refused to use it.

There’s the danger for us. We have every talent we need to care for ourselves, our families, and our church family. We’re tempted to do one of two things with our talents. First, we’re tempted to hide them, like the servant burying his talent in the ground. We tell ourselves if we put God first with our offerings, we won’t have enough for the rest of the month. So we take that money we had set aside for him and keep it for ourselves. We hear the call for help at church, and it’s tempting to say, “I always show up for these workdays. Someone else should step up this time.” We’re tempted to bury our talents under a mound of excuses. “I’m too busy because of work, school, housework, sports….”

The second temptation is to think that our talent isn’t good enough, or flashy enough, or valuable enough compared to everyone else’s talents. We can’t sing well enough to be in a choir. We can’t fix things like others. Our artwork is great – if you like stick drawings. We can’t play an instrument – the only thing we can play is the radio! We’re too young to help, too old to be worth anything. We’re not smart enough to contribute during Bible study. For as many talents as we have, we can find many more reasons to hide them!

What happens when a servant hides the talent he’s been given and doesn’t put it to work? “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them” (Matthew 25:19 NIV). The servant who had received one bag of gold said, “Master, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you” (Matthew 25:24–25 NIV). Up to this point, how had the master treated all three of his servants? With trust and generosity. This servant tried to lay the blame for his lack of effort on the master instead of himself. He described the man as cruel, and merciless. He accused the master of making the servants plant and harvest, and then profiting off of all their hard work!

The master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant! … You should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest” (Matthew 25:26–27 NIV). That would have been an easy way for the servant to put his master’s money to work – even easier than finding a secluded spot, digging a hole, hiding the money, filling in the hole, and camouflaging it! The price for the servant’s laziness? He didn’t use the talent, so he lost it. The master finished, “So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags…. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30 NIV). Not only did the servant lose what he had, he lost his life and his eternity. Use it or lose it – forever!

Don’t miss what happened to the two servants who used the master’s trust and investment well. “The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more….“ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’“ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21-23 NIV). The master is so thankful and proud of his servants that his words burst with joy: “Well done!” The Greek word εὖ can also mean, “Excellent! Awesome!” Along with the words of praise come an even greater invitation. “Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21,23 NIV). Not only was he happy they had worked so hard to earn more, he was willing to share it with them!

We have such a kind, loving, generous Savior! He has poured out talents, skills, and abilities into each one of us. We can and do put them to work for him. When we bring our offerings from grateful, generous hearts he shouts, “Excellent!” As we push the vacuum cleaner over the carpets or wash out the bathrooms, he offers a high five. When we pause to smile and offer a word of encouragement to each other, or to someone at work or school Jesus yells, “Awesome!” After we walk through the door following an exhausting day at work, or school, or straightening up the house and yard Jesus has nothing but praise for our hard work. When we take these talents and put them to work, we are respecting him as our Master, honoring him as our Savior, and loving him as our Friend. Use those gifts, don’t lose them, and we can look forward to our Savior saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:23 NIV). Amen!