In 1986 the sports world was stunned when a prolific
young basketball star named Len Bias was found dead from a drug overdose. Bias
had enjoyed a very successful college career at Maryland, and was chosen second
in the NBA draft to play for the famed Boston Celtics.
I was just a teenager, but I vividly remember how shocked
I was that this amazing athlete, whom I had admired, was now dead. Everyone,
from the neighborhood boys to the commentators on SportsCenter talked for days
about what a huge waste of potential and talent this was.
Sadly, this young man joined the statistics of many
others – whose capacity for greatness and success was erased by a series of
hasty choices.
The parable that Jesus gives in Matthew 25:14-30 reminds
us that we all are only given a certain amount of time to use the gifts and
abilities that God has given us, and we must be cautious not to waste it all away,
because of negligence, sloth or poor decisions.
In this parable, Christ states that the kingdom of heaven
is like a wealthy man going on an extended journey. Before he leaves, he calls
together his stewards and gives to each of them a measure of money for them to
invest while he is away. This well-to-do man does not want his businesses and
finances to sit idle while he travels, so he entrusts some of his assets to his
overseers to manage and return a profit.
One steward is given five talents, another two talents,
and another one talent. Each man was allocated money to
manage, based on his level of competence as judged by the owner.
The steward who received five talents made some very sound
business decisions and doubles his lord’s assets, by making five additional
talents. The man who had received two talents, also works hard and matches his
initial two talents, by earning two more.
However, the servant who received one talent went and dug
a hole in the ground and buried it. Rather than investing what he had been
entrusted with, he was lazy and wasted both time and resources.
Years pass, but eventually the wealthy traveler returns
and summons his servants before him to give an accounting of their stewardship.
The first steward comes and presents not only the five
talents he was originally given, but five to go along with them. The owner is
delighted and generously rewards the faithful servant with a hard-earned rest.
The second steward comes and presents not only the two talents he was given,
but also the two additional he had gained. The owner is pleased again and also
rewards his loyal servant with well-deserved rest.
Finally, the last servant appears, but he has nothing to
return to his lord except the one talent he had hidden away. Even though the
indolent steward makes numerous excuses, the wealthy master is furious and
orders this slothful servant to be thrown into outer darkness and his talent to
be taken away from him and given to someone who will rightly use it.
Readers, the lesson our Lord would have us learn is quite
simple.
Christ is like this wealthy man who has gone on a journey
to a faraway country. But before leaving He has entrusted each of us with
resources that we are to use to further his glorious kingdom. Not every
Christian has the same spiritual gifts, education, abilities or finances, but
all have been given “talents” that we are to invest in our Lord’s work. These
various resources are not meant to be buried, but wisely used to reach others.
Jesus will soon return, and it is His pleasure to generously
reward those who have faithfully used the means he has given to help others and
expand his kingdom.
Don’t let your life be a tragedy of wasted opportunity.
Don’t be like the slothful servant in this parable, and
hide away or hoard what God has entrusted you with. Don’t let negligence or discomfort
keep you from being a devoted servant to Christ. Empty excuses will not suffice
on our day of judgment.
Instead, use what God has entrusted to you in order to reach
others with the Gospel and to bring glory to His matchless name. And maybe,
just maybe, we may hear these words, “well done thou good and faithful servant,
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
Pastor Lewis Kiger
Memorial Heights Baptist Church
Memorial Heights Baptist Church
svdbygrace2@roadrunner.com
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