Parables of the Talents, Pt. 3
This Week's Bible Reading: Matthew 25:14-30 (focus on verse 18)
Supporting Passage: Matthew 25:13-16
Last week, we considered how we can use our ordinary talents for God's kingdom. When we invest these talents, we are like the first two servants in Jesus' parable. Today, I want to explore what might prevent us from doing this.
Jesus says the third servant "went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money" (Matthew 25:18, ESV). This might seem like a silly thing to do. Only pirates would bury their gold, right? But in the ancient world, hiding money in the ground was a common way to protect it.
If the servant's job were to keep the money safe, he would have gotten an A+ from the master! But the master had bigger goals in mind. He wanted the servant to do something with what he'd been given.
As Christians, one of the sweetest promises we have is that we'll experience heaven someday. But it is also one of the biggest obstacles we face when it comes to using our talents. This may sound strange, but sometimes, heaven can become a convenient excuse for us not to take action. How often do we say phrases like, "This world is not my home" or "I'm just passing through"?
I understand the heart behind these phrases and have uttered them, too. The heartache of this world is too much to bear sometimes. Between the pain we see on a global scale and our own personal struggles, life can feel hopeless. We can't help but anticipate the day when "[God] will wipe every tear from [our] eyes" (Revelation 21:4). And it is right to look forward to our future hope. But as we do, we can't forget about using our talents in the present.
The third servant made the mistake of safeguarding his talent instead of investing it. It's easy for us to make this same error. If we don't have a bigger vision of God's kingdom, we risk reducing the gospel message to "Jesus will be back soon. Until then, just stay out of trouble." This is a surefire recipe to turn ourselves inward. We withdraw from the world to stay clean. Our focus becomes obeying a list of rules. We bury our talents and wait to go to heaven someday.
But Jesus wants us to shine our light! In the sermon on the mount, he says these beautiful words:
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14–16, NIV)
A light hidden under a bowl isn't much use to anyone. Sure, maybe the bowl will keep the light safe. But it will also prevent the light from doing what it was created to do. When we shine the light, we point people to God's kingdom.
When I think about people who used their talents for God's kingdom, I am reminded of Father Bob. I grew up attending Catholic mass, and Father Bob was the lead pastor of our parish. He was also one of the first people to teach me about the deep love of God.
After mass, everyone went on the church patio to enjoy coffee and donuts. As an 8-year-old, this was my favorite part of going to church. As soon as mass ended, my sister and I ran outside to dig into the donut boxes! But we also loved saying hello to Father Bob. He would greet us with a warm smile and hug.
At the time, I was still in speech therapy. My speech was difficult to understand if you didn't know me well. I'm sure there were times when I rambled on, and Father Bob had no idea what I was saying. But he listened with patience and ended every conversation with, "God loves you, Mike!"
A few weeks ago, my mom sent me a news story about Father Bob. I was shocked to learn he and his sister Sally were tragically killed in a shooting at their home. Father Bob knew the man who shot him. He was going through a rough patch, and Father Bob was trying to help him through it. By this time, Father Bob was retired. But he was still using his talent of compassion to point others to God.
You can look at this story and think, "What a waste! If that's what using your talent gets you, why not bury it instead? It's safer." And it's true—Father Bob and his sister weren't supposed to die this way. It's another piece of evidence that we live in a broken world. But I don't think Father Bob would see it as a waste.
A few months before he died, Father Bob celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest. This is what he said:
I've had a glorious ride. I'm proud to serve and do wonderful things for wonderful people. I've spent 50 years doing absolutely incredible things, and I am thankful to God for it.
Father Bob didn't wait around for heaven. He didn't bury his talent. He didn't hide his light.
He leaned into a messy, broken world and showed it a glimmer of God's kingdom.
I pray that by the grace of God, I can do the same.
Questions to Ponder:
Why is it sometimes tempting to want to withdraw from the world and "wait around for heaven?" How can you look forward to heaven while remaining focused on bringing God's kingdom to others in the present?
What similarities do you see between the parable of the Talents and Jesus' words in Matthew 5:13–16?
Who in your life shines their light instead of hiding it? What can you learn from them?
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