I think it is very important that we grasp all of what is going on in the story of the talents in Matthew 25. If we are to take our life beyond where it is now, we will have to do so through the area of God’s gifts in our life. We can’t go around them. God designed us like we are. Doing God’s purpose or will is of the utmost importance. The purpose of our life is sewn into the talents and abilities that God placed in our life. Our purpose cannot work outside that God created agenda. In other words, God will not require us to perform a duty or calling that He has not created us to perform. God will not demand of me something that I can’t do and do well with His help.
Matthew 25:14-30 gives us the story of the Talents. It is Jesus’ words. The entire chapters 24 and 25 are the response to the disciples when they ask what the end time would be like. (Matthew 24:3)Jesus gives us the story of the Talents exampling the coming of the Lord. He says:
14 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. (He gave His goods, His substance, we were created in His image, God built us from His desires.)
15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. (God did the giving. We don’t get an option in it. He is the Creator, He decides who gets what. Yes, some get more than others. It’s His stuff so He gets to order it how He pleases. Stop wasting precious time over what you didn’t get. Do something with what you did get.)
16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. (If we want our gifts to be greater, then we need to grow them. But always remember you will have to grow them with what God gave you. It should be our desire and nature to reproduce what God has placed in our life.)
18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. (The word earth here does translate to soil first but by extension it also means globe or world. We must be on guard against burying our abilities in this world. We each tend to work in the areas of our talents. Our jobs more often than not, centers around our abilities. People who try to work outside their abilities in a job often are not successful. If we are successful in our job performance it will no doubt be in the areas of our gifting. But we must be on guard against burying our talents in this world. Though you may get bored and tried of your job, if it’s where your talents and abilities are then keep in mind that you can bury what God gave you in this world. Also when we bury our talents in this world we are not burying our stuff, it’s the Lord’s, it what He gave us to use while He is away.)
19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. (God is coming back and He will be asking how we did with what He gave us.)
20 "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'
21 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
22 He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'
23 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' (These two servants were greatly blessed because they increased their gifts. Each received the same bonus or blessing. The two talented servant received the same blessing that the five talented servant received. They were blessed because they used what they had been given from their Lord.)
24 "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' (The first thing this proved to me is God must hate a hording mentality. If you feel you are a small talented person, that you didn’t get all the abilities that some have, you had better be on guard against this mentality. This servant, rather than use contently what he had been given, horded it and left it like it was. Never be guilty of not using your God given talents because you don’t have the abilities others have. If he had made two with his he also would have received the blessings like the other two servants. He received one talent because the Lord knew that was what is ability demanded.)
26 "But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. (This is not kindergarten thinking. God is serious about His stuff. He wants to get the most out of the gifts He gave. So for that reason those who produce get the greatest blessings. Those who grow what He gave them and prepare their lives to grow in the Lord will be greatly blessed in their efforts.)
30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' NKJV
Why do people not use their talents in the kingdom of God? Why do we have so many people who are on the sideline rather than committing to the cause of Christ and using their talents in the church? Commitment is some of it. Again they are burying talents in the earth here. People will do just about whatever is demanded of them on a job or in school without question. Saying it’s important to do so because of money or education. But when it comes to the church they approach it half-hearted and without passion. Commitments people make for the secular they often would never make for the Kingdom. They want to do as they please without commitment. Again gifts buried in the world are lost gifts at eternity. We have too many people who are ignoring their gifts and talents because they don’t think they are flashy enough for the kingdom of God. There are people who don’t use the abilities of their life for the work of God because they want to do something else. They feel that their talents are not special enough. To think like this causes people to try to perform in areas they were not built to perform in. They end up struggling and feeling like they don’t matter to the church of the Lord.
If you want your gifts to be improved and expanded by the Lord you will have to increase what He gave you to start with. If you are ignoring your gifts don’t expect to be asked to do greater things.
In Mark 3:35 Jesus said, "For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother." Jesus said that who-ever does the will of God is His family. Do what God designed for you to do, that’s His will for you. In doing so, you will be part of the family of God.
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