The Parable of the Talents
(Luke 19:11–27)
14For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. 15To one he gave five talents,b to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.
16The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to workc and gained five more. 17Likewise, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the servant who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
19After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The servant who had received the five talents came and presented five more. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
21His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
22The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.’
23His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
24Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’
26‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.
28Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 30And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
We are all familiar with the story. The master left and liquidated his estate. He gave his servants talents which is silver equivalent to 20 years wages value. 5 to the first one and 2 to the second one and 1 to the third servant. The master went away for a while and after sometimes returned. The first slave returned the 5 talents + 5 talents to the master (doubled the talents) the 2nd 2+2. But the third one gave back 1 the same amount given to him when the master went away. The master was overjoyed with the first two but not with the third and called him lazy
2. Many important lesson:
1. Talent is not about just wealth alone, but your ability skills and other resources
2. We came with nothing and will leave with nothing. All the things that we are supposed to have bought and intherited are lost when we die..
3. To whom much is given much is expected. God is overjoyed when we multiply what has been given us. When we discover our gifts develop and share this for the benefit
for the rest of his creation
4. The first two servants took risks. You cant double your talents without taking risks: business risks, famine, theft, and force majeure
3. HIDDEN LESSON
This lets us understand our difficulties with staff ( and selling and respect)
This was magnified with the utterances of the 3rd servant. He thinks his master does not deserve to reap for something he has not worked for and planted. He did not take action
because of his LACK TRUST TO HIS MASTER. LACK OF FAITH (OR MAYBE AT WORSE THINKING OF HIS MASTER AS BAD) How do we know this? Because the servant said this:
‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’
It is pure disdain. Maybe its true for our staff who doubts what we say or tells them to do, or does nothing
Lack of trust results in loss of motion (inertia) we cant move and we become static. Motion multiplies. Action begets action Inertia causes everything to stop
God wantss us to be productive a co creator of the creation as in Genesis 1:28 AND TO TRUST AND HAVE FAITH IN HIM
Thus third servant he did nothing with the talents and kept the same where it is safest - TO BURY IT AT THE EARTH
Everyday, constantly God invites us to share his Providence. But we have to work hard for it. We MUST TRUST GOD
(Thus the greatest sin is SLOTH - LAZINESS AND THAT GIVES RISE TO MANY CRIMES - theft, prostitution, murder plunder etc)
But the truth is not sloth or laziness but fear. Fear of losing what was given him. Fear of failure. Fear of his talents or his lack of skill, inability
Lack of trust is manifested in:
1. Distrust - confirmation of communications needed
2. Non communicating avoiding communicating, having their own gcs and network
3. Cant sell or wont sell because there is distrust of the master, the product and the company
When we trust nothing can block our success, and we share we are invited by God to partake his happiness and banquet
Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’
26‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.
WTDN
1. REMOVE FEAR AND DISTRUST
2. DEVELOP YOURSELF TO REMOVE FEAR AND DISTRUST
3. ABCD
No comments:
Post a Comment