Scripture Daily

Context No. 4319 of 4322 · Matthew

Context · Reflection

Matthew 25:14-18: in context

14“For it is like a man going into another country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them. 15To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey. 16Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two. 18But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.

In the parable of the talents, a man going on a journey entrusts his property to his servants, giving to each according to his ability: to one five talents, to another two, to another one. The first two immediately put their talents to work and gain more; but the third simply digs a hole and buries his master's money, doing nothing with what he was given. He preserved it, but he did not use it.

What stands out is the contrast between using and burying what was entrusted. The servants were given differing amounts, each according to his ability, but all were entrusted with something and expected to put it to work. Two invested and multiplied what they had; the third, out of fear, buried his and let it lie idle. The failure was not that he had little, but that he did nothing with what he had.

Each of us has been given something, abilities, resources, opportunities, according to our capacity, and God means for us to put it to work in his service, not to bury it out of fear or neglect. We are not all given the same amount, but we are all responsible to use what we have. The tragedy of the third servant was not smallness but idleness; he buried what he could have invested. Whatever God has entrusted to us is given to be used for him.

Am I putting to work whatever God has entrusted to me, my abilities, resources, and opportunities, using them in his service according to my capacity, or am I, like the third servant, burying what I have been given out of fear or neglect and letting it lie idle?

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