Sunday, November 13, 2011

Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God

Use what talent you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.

(Mt 25:14-30): Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.

After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

When Jesus asks for an account of your service, you tell Him: "Lord, I've given everything I have to serve You for years. I've gone without sleep, had more children in obedience to You, completed spiritual projects no one but You cared about, been persecuted and ridiculed for You. I've fed Your sheep spiritually and physically for years (see Jn 21:15). It's all because I love You."

If we aren't good stewards and don't administer the mysteries the Lord has entrusted to us, Jesus said he would take away His graces from us and give them to others (see Mt 25:29). We see this happening as Christians in Europe and the USA lose their faith while new Christians in the third-world are showered with faith, joy, enthusiasm, power, boldness, healings, miracles, and religious vocations. When most first-world Christians failed in good stewardship, they lost their faith and God poured out His graces on others. However, if we repent, we will see God's graces return.

Rather than bury our talents in the ground, let’s consciously recognize the gifts God has given us and make a concerted effort to utilize them for God’s greater glory.

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