The Parable of the Talents (Long post, go get coffee)

I haven't been on for a few days. Life has spun up into go, go, go mode and it has been difficult to find time to focus and write. I am not using my talent wisely.

I am sure you have heard the parable of the talents. It's Matthew 25: 14-30

My daughter was writing about the Parable of the Talents for school this week. I knew the story but had never done a lot of research on the story and, like so many things in the Bible, when I take the time to look it up, pray about it, God just fills me up with not only His love but also His wisdom and His plan for His children, over and over again.

I thought would share with you what I found out.

First of all, a talent isn't just a coin. I always thought it was like the silver dollars my Uncle Rodney has given me for the last 10+ years for Christmas and while I thought it was a lot of money, I had no idea what a talent was really worth.

According to Bible Weights and Measures a talent is worth in today's economy: $1,080,000 U.S. That is PER TALENT.

15 To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability.

I think many of us get caught up though in the "money" part and perhaps miss out on the end of verse 15, where the Bible continues the verse, "each according to his ability". The master knew what his servants were capable of doing, he entrusted them with something of great

value and left.

According to scripture the one servant with 5 talents went immediately and put the money he was given to work. As did the second servant who had 2 talents.

But the third. The third with only one talent, because he was afraid, he took and buried the talent that he had been entrusted with.

Upon the masters return, the one with 5 talents and the one with 2 talents had doubled their master's money and were praised and told,

'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

But then we have the servant with 1 talent, who returned only what he had been entrusted with, the master became angry and called him lazy, and wicked and threw him outside,

"into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Honestly, it took me a while to get over the entire amount of money that was being entrusted with these servants but once I stopped thinking about biblical lottery winners I came to the realization that all of us have been given talents. From the day we were created God gave us talents that He entrusted us with in order to further His kingdom.

These talents are not a monetary reward, but a gift that is only defined by how we implement it in our day to day life. No matter if your talent is speaking, writing or parenting or something else, each one of us has a talent. Something He has equipped us personally to do. No matter how "big" or how "small" you might think your talent is, God put it there for a purpose. Allowing fear, doubt or worry to steal that which God has instilled in each of His children will cast us into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. I know about the darkness and I personally like it much better here in the light.

Yes, I have times of fear, when I'm not sure if I should write about something, or speak about something, or teach about something, but the power is found in not allowing that fear to stop me. Its not easy to know that every time I sit down at this computer that I am going to be 100% honest no matter what. There are several blog entries waiting to go out right now that I am praying over before I hit the "publish" button. It's not because of fear really, it's more because I want to make sure the purpose behind the blog or the writing is clear and that it is being "sent out" for the right reason, for His glory. Never allow fear to keep you from your talent. God will open the doors but friends, you have to get up and walk through the door in order to reap the reward of "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

So what is your talent? Are you burying it or are you running out and putting it to work? That talent, when used to further our Father's kingdom, will pay in dividends beyond our wildest dreams.