Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 25.
In the parable of the talents, Jesus’ teaching reminds us of the need for each one of us to do what we are capable of doing.
“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called how own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his ability; and he went on his journey” (Matthew 25:14-15).
The “talents” were amounts of money that the master entrusted to his three slaves to manage while he was away. They were not each given the same amount. Each received what the master expected him to be able to manage. When he returned later, they were held accountable for how they managed what they received.
The slaves with the five and two talents were able to double their master’s money (Matthew 25:16-17). The slave with one talent “dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money” (Matthew 25:18). The first two slaves were rewarded at their master’s return (Matthew 25:20-23). However, the slave with the one talent, even though he was able to return his master’s money back to him, was condemned.
“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents’” (Matthew 25:26-28).
The lesson for us is that no matter what abilities, resources, or opportunities we have, we need to be doing all that we can do in service to God. The Lord will hold each one of us accountable for how we use what we have in His service. We need to examine ourselves and see if we are being “good and faithful” servants (Matthew 25:21, 23), or if we are being “wicked” and “lazy” (Matthew 25:26) by not doing what we are capable of doing. We do not want to be like the “worthless slave” who was cast “into the outer darkness,” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30).
Tomorrow’s reading: Matthew 26; Mark 14
[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]
Daily Notes & Observations contains all 365 articles from this series and is available in paperback from Gospel Armory.
