Zeph 1:7,12-18; Psa 90:1-8,12; 1Thes 5:1-11; Matt 25:14-30
Recap of parable: very wealthy landowner gives enormous sums of money to three of his servants to do whatever they want with it on his behalf. He gives each one different amounts according to their ability – none gets more than they can handle. One talent is worth between 15-20 years worth of wages. Two of them work, use the money and double it. The third buries his money, disclaiming any responsibility, and simply gives it back to the master when he returns.
The interesting part of this parable is the conversation between this third servant and the master. The servant is not grateful that the master trusted him with $500,000 or $600,000. When confronted with his failure to do anything, to use this gift, this servant blames the master. You are a harsh businessman, who makes more from a transaction than you ought to have coming to you. This wasn’t a gift, it was a terrifying responsibility! I just wanted to get out from underneath it.
The master doesn’t buy into the “I was afraid” excuse. He calls this servant lazy, takes the money away, and throws him out.
The servant’s concern from the beginning was saving his own skin. He doesn’t want to use this gift, he doesn’t want to take any risks; he just wants to keep things as they are, be comfortable and secure. Just live his own life his own way. It’s obvious he doesn’t care very much for his master, and doesn’t really know him very well. He’s certainly not honored by the master’s trust and this huge gift. Rather, he considers it an intrusion on his life. And so he does the easiest thing he can think of that will keep him out of trouble. He buries it, only to return it intact to the master later.
But it wasn’t given just to be returned. It was given according to that servant’s abilities. Allocated specifically to him for use on behalf of the master. But this servant just doesn’t want to be bothered. He’s been given this incredible gift by his master, but he’s got his own interests to pursue.
God has given us incredible gifts, valuable gifts, amazing gifts that can make a difference in the world. That’s why we’ve been given them! I wonder how often we don’t want to be bothered. We’ve got our own lives, our own interests, our own comfort to be concerned about. We simply don’t have time or interest in using God’s gifts in the world just because God has an agenda. We didn’t ask God for the gifts and abilities we have, right? God wants to save the world, and bring his kingdom of peace and life to all creation. And God gives us abilities so that we can be part of that work. But I’ve got friends I want to hang out with! I’ve got a retirement account I have to check on! I’ve got work piled on my desk four feet high! I have a test to study for! I’ve got a new computer game!
So oftentimes we take these amazing abilities God gives us and bury them so we don’t have to be bothered. So we can live our lives the way we want to live them. But the gifts are still there, and God continues to give us opportunities to use them – because they are given to each of us according to our abilities.
I was at a jazz concert at Eaglecrest H.S., supposedly in the Denver metro area, but driving there, I’m sure I saw a sign that said “Welcome to Kansas.” I came into the auditorium, and sat down in the center section toward the back (I’m still Lutheran. In the row behind me, about three or four seats over, was a high school aged girl sitting by herself. Periodically, another high school person would come in, walk by, and stop and talk to her. Many invited her to come sit down front where there was a large gathering of kids, apparently all from the same school. She always declined, because apparently one boy in that group was a big jerk, and she was mad at him, and wasn’t going to be anywhere near him, and so forth. Everytime she said this stuff, the person talking with her would nod, say, “Are you sure you don’t want to come up front with us?” and go down front with the group.
This went on for fifteen minutes while the group gathered up front, while she stayed in the back, too hurt and too sad and too humiliated to join them. Eventually, though, one girl got up from the front and walked back and sat down next to this lonely girl. “Are you alright?” “Yes, I’m just not going to be anywhere near stupid jerky boy.” “OK. If you don’t want to come up front, is it alright if I sit back here with you?”
I didn’t really hear much of the conversation. But soon there was some giggling, and the talking became more animated. And just before the concert started, after these girls had been sitting behind me for about 10 minutes together, they both got up and went down front and sat with the group.
When this girl was sitting there by herself, half a dozen kids went by and spoke to her. Most invited her down front. But when she declined, they went on their way, living their own life, burying any gifts that may have restored this lost girl to her group of friends. But one invested her gifts of compassion and care in this lonely girl, giving up her place in the group to do so. In that small act of using her gifts instead of simply living her own life, I saw the Kingdom of God revealed. I saw God’s investment of gifts in the second girl pay off in the life of the first.
Maybe it doesn’t always work out that way. Maybe there are times when you use your gifts to make a difference in the world and it doesn’t seem to pay off. But what Jesus is telling us here is not that the payoff matters so much, but that taking a chance with the gifts God has invested in each of us does. If you care about people, then care. If you are a good listener, then listen. If you are generous, then give stuff away. If you are helpful, then help. Watch for the opportunities God places in front of you to use the gifts God has given you.
And God has given them to you. God doesn’t buy the excuse that some give, “My gifts aren’t much, pretty insignificant.” Because God gave the gifts! God has made an investment in each one of us. And God places in our lives opportunities every day to invest those gifts. We’re all busy, we’ve all got lives to live. And yet, in the midst of our lives, rest these treasures given by God, treasures that will change the world. God has invested gifts and abilities in us, and invites us to use them so that the world will be made new.