Do we really understand Jesus’ Parable of the Talents?  I must admit, while I claimed to know the lesson of the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25: 14-30, I really didn’t comprehend the true stewardship meaning it conveys.  You see, I’m someone who wants to root for the underdog.  I think it’s easy to see why the master rewarded the first two servants for doubling their talents.  It’s the master’s treatment of servant number three that it took me a while to figure out.

As background, a talent represented 20 years’ worth of wages.  In today’s equivalent, each talent would be valued between $500,000 and $1,000,000. I’ve even read where this range of value could be worth much more.  In any case, Jesus’ parable indicated that all three servants were given a significant responsibility a substantial amount. Even the servant who only received one talent had a hefty responsibility.

We don’t know how long the master was gone before he came back for the accounting by each servant.  We know that the first two doubled what they were put in charge of.  Think about this for a moment.  I don’t know about you, but if I made an investment that doubled even over 10 years, I’d be doing extremely well.  I would probably need to invest in higher-risk investments.  The first two servants really stepped out of their comfort zone. This is why the master congratulated the first two servants on a job well done—they didn’t just add to their treasure, they multiplied it.   I sure want to hear—”Well done, good and faithful servant!” when it comes to my accounting.

Now to my underdog example of the third servant who was given one gold talent.  He didn’t squander what was put in his charge, he buried it so it would be safe from being stolen—he hid it. So, what did he do to deserve being called “wicked” and “lazy” and thrown out of what clearly the kingdom?  This weighed on me over the years. Why would God punish and push out someone who was protecting the talents that God provided?

I finally realized that it was in his attitude.  God wants us to take personal risks in sharing the gospel.  God doesn’t want us to play it safe. He wants us to risk it big on His behalf to connect others to Jesus. You see, the third servant is the one who thinks he has the treasure of salvation but only keeps it to himself—he hides it.  He’s the guy or gal who goes to church on Sunday but his or her coworkers during the week have absolutely no clue that he or she is a Christian. He isn’t faithful to what God has asked him to do, to go and make disciples; to love your neighbor as yourself; to be the city built on the hill to shine the light of Jesus on others.

You see, we must step up and out with the many things God has put in our possession. Do not play it safe!  Do not put it in a jar and bury it where others can’t see it!

Don’t hide the wonderful gift that God has put in your charge to steward.  Go out and multiply!

Kirk Hymes –  Khymes@se.lcms.org

LCEF Vice President of the SED & Executive Director of Stewardship