"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master'...He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?
Matthew 25:14-18,20,21,24-26
In this parable, Plantinga says in chapter 5 of “Engaging God’s World” that to Jesus it did not really matter for Him which calling His disciples pursued but rather how faithfully they pursued them. To me, this is humbling. Two of the servants were given talents (or money) that they used in ways that made their boss proud. They used their money so wisely in fact that they gained more going beyond their call of duty making the man desire to give them more work to do because he trusted them so well. But one man buried what his boss had given him, desiring to lock it up and be selfish with it for his own gain. God does not call me to be this way with the gifts and talents that He has given me, especially when putting my gifts and talents towards a profession, or as Plantinga says, a “vocation in the Kingdom of God.”
When it comes to vocation and being a Christian, many feel these have to be seperate: church on Sunday, go to work Monday through Friday, do chores on Saturday, repeat. Yet, in “The Parable of the Talents,” the man gave his servants gifts and when he found that one did not use it to help him but instead used it selfishly, it did not go well in the end. God wants me to use what I have learned I have dreams for and a strong passion for and expand them. He can not do this if they are hidden inside a hole and tied in a bag. He wants me to go out and seek ways that can bring Him glory, but of course, through His help. C. S. Lewis says in “Learning in War - Time” that “All our merely natural activities will be accepted, if they are offered to God, even the humblest and all of them, even the noblest, will be sinful if they are not.” How true this is. My eyes, car, family, friends, school, job are all mere gifts that God has loaned me. (I don’t think this way everyday about it but I am thankful for these little reminders.) If I am not faithful with those, then I am wasting what precious gifts He has given me for my own glory.
“How wonderful it is when [human beings serve] in conscious acknowledgement of the calling of God and in faith that, between this life and the next, between the partial coming of the kingdom and the full coming of the kingdom, nothing good will ever be lost.”
Your post was also a good reminder for me, so thanks. Sometimes I view God's gift giving as a challenge. I feel like He's almost saying to me "Here you go! now.. use them wisely". I forget where it's found but this verse comes to mind: "to whom much is given, much is required" and that can apply to situations outside of money as well. When we're given many gifts, God expects us to use them to bring Him honor. great post.
ReplyDeleteI like how Lewis mentions that all our our good activities, however small, will be accepted by God. It's a good reminder that in our everyday life we can still make an impact and still bring the kingdom to earth. That no matter what we do with our lives, if it is for God's glory he will accept it. What a great thing to hear!
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you took this topic right back to the Bible and applied it to "The Parable of the Talents." This has always been one of the most convicting parables to me because I know that I have been blessed so much, given so many gifts. The realization that I am expected to be faithful with these abundant gifts is humbling and refocuses my mind on the things that I really should be using them for. Great post!
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