THE TALENTS

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Matthew 25:24-30  NKJV

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.’

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 Therefore 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. 

³⁰ And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

There is an enduring principle of Kingdom righteousness which is ever before us in Scripture; that God requires fruitfulness in His people.  This also gives character to and identifies Believers.  This is stated so plainly in Psalm 1:3 “That brings forth its fruit in season.”

It does not seem to matter how often it is stated, we will not remember this absolute certainty; God will accept nothing less than a return from the plant He has planted.

The parable in Matthew 25 and Luke 19 has some differences in language and context, but the truth contained in both places is the same.   A parable is not an allegory, it contains one central truth, and the details are not particularly important in themselves.  There are a number of general lessons taught in this parable.

Following are the general truths found here:

1.  All ability to serve God is a gift of God.  There are no indications that the characters involved were expected to serve God with anything other than that which He gave them.

Therefore at the end of the parable when He removes the gift from one and gives it to another He is doing that which He, the owner, has every right to do.

2.  God’s servants receive different levels of gifts and their accomplishments are at different levels.  In this parable we understand that which is given is money, which equals time plus ability plus opportunity.  By this we can see the levels of overall ability and accomplishment will differ.

3. God’s servants must give an accounting for what they have received.  There are two facts about this accounting that are very plain.

A.     Their production has no competitive responsibility.  Whatever others may do is not the standard they must meet.  That standard is whatever each does with his gift.

B.     The judgment which each faces is very severe.  Excuses are unacceptable.  The gift is given with an expectation of a return.  That is known by the servant.  Failure is his responsibility and he must meet the standard.  This is the lesson of Luke 13:6-9 ⁶ He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. ⁷ Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ ⁸ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.”   

The most encouraging lesson is the expectation of the Master.  None can have so little that they cannot be profitable.  And their profit will be accepted no matter how small.  Though others had done well with their gift and they were amply rewarded, this same production is not required from the third servant.  All that was required of him as that he put the gift where it could gain interest.  He is not required to compete in quantity or kind with either of the others.  It is enough said that he could have done something even if it was very small.  “Nothing”  was not acceptable.

All God’s children can be sure He will not require bricks where He has given no straw.