Matthew 25:19-23: a reflection

19“Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and settled accounts with them. 20He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents in addition to them.’ 21“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22“He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents in addition to them.’ 23“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

In the parable of the talents, when the master returns and settles accounts, he commends the servants who used well what they were given, and his words to them are the same, whether they had been given five talents or two: Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. The commendation was not for how much they gained, but for their faithfulness; and both, having been faithful over what they were given, received the same praise and the same invitation into the master's joy. Faithfulness with what we are given, whether much or little, is what the master commends.

Notice what the master commends: faithfulness over a few things, not the size of the result. The servant given five talents and the one given two are praised in identical words; the commendation is not for the amount gained but for the faithfulness shown. Each had been faithful over what he was entrusted with, and each received the same, well done, and the same invitation into the master's joy. What mattered was not how much they were given or how much they gained, but that they were faithful with it. Faithfulness over a few things is what the master rewards, setting the faithful over many things and welcoming them into his joy. The measure was faithfulness, not size.

That is worth taking to heart, for God commends our faithfulness with what we are given, whether much or little. We can think that what matters is the size of what we accomplish, the greatness of our results, and feel that our little is not worth much; but the master commended faithfulness over a few things, not the amount gained, praising the servant with two talents as fully as the one with five. God looks for faithfulness with what he has given us, however small. Do not despise the little you are given, or measure yourself by the size of your results; be faithful with what you have, for that is what God commends. Be faithful with what God has given you, whether much or little, for God commends faithfulness over a few things and welcomes the faithful into his joy, as the master said, well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things; for God rewards faithfulness, not the size of our results, and the one faithful with a little is commended as fully as the one given much.

Lord, in the parable of the talents, when the master returns and settles accounts, he commends the servants who used well what they were given, and his words to them are the same, whether they had been given five talents or two: well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord. The commendation was not for how much they gained, but for their faithfulness; and both received the same praise and the same invitation into the master's joy. Show me what the master commends: faithfulness over a few things, not the size of the result. The servant given five talents and the one given two are praised in identical words; the commendation is not for the amount gained but for the faithfulness shown. Each had been faithful over what he was entrusted with. What mattered was not how much they were given or gained, but that they were faithful with it. The measure was faithfulness, not size. Take that to my heart, for you commend my faithfulness with what I am given, whether much or little. I can think that what matters is the size of what I accomplish, and feel that my little is not worth much; but the master commended faithfulness over a few things, praising the servant with two talents as fully as the one with five. You look for faithfulness with what you have given me, however small. Keep me from despising the little I am given, or measuring myself by the size of my results; help me be faithful with what I have, Lord, for that is what you commend, and welcome the faithful into your joy.