“Again,
it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted
his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and
to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to
work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained
two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the
ground and hid his master’s money.
19
“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts
with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other
five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have
gained five more.’
21 “His 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. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came.
‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained
two more.’
23 “His 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. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of
gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where
you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was
afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs
to you.’”
Matthew
25:14-25
Each
one of us has certain abilities and levels of skill and talent. That is not in
question in the parable we read above. What is in question, is how those
abilities were used by his servants when a certain man entrusted his wealth to
them. The first two servants doubled what they had received while the third
servant, motivated by fear (vs. 25), realized no increase in what had been
entrusted to him. There is no good that can come to you if you are motivated by
fear. However, when you motivation is to use the talents that God has given you
to see the Kingdom of God advanced then the increase is great. Some have
clearly recognized the talents, abilities and gifts God has given them, but
they are so paralyzed with fear that they do not sow, let alone reap a harvest
for the King. Jesus came to set the captives free. Yes, you say you know that.
Well, then today receive the freedom from fear that he wants you to have so
that you, like the first wise servant, go out at once and put the talents
entrusted to you to work for His Kingdom. After all, we are told in II Timothy
1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love,
and of a sound mind.” (KJV)
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