The parable of the talents as found in Matthew 25:14-30 must be one of the best known moral tales told by our Lord Jesus. It is brimming over with meaning, wisdom and subtle instructions for right living. The talents represent the gifts that God has invested in each one of us. We may seem to possess it as rightful owners, but it is God’s property and we have to give account for it just as we would to an earthly landlord who owns the property. The owner may be off on a long journey with no communication from his side, but he will surely return to assert his ownership and not spare anyone not pulling his load. All the labourers may not have the same ability and some may be lacking in certain areas, therefore the owner, in his wisdom, distributes his money according to each one’s ability to make good use of it (v15), The question is: Are we doing the best with what has been entrusted to us?

 Even in biblical times, the worth of a talent was quite high, but in today’s value it is somewhere between five to ten lakhs. That’s a lot of money! So we see that the land lord gave more than enough to each servant and naturally expected good returns from each. The ones who received 5 and 2 talents each immediately plunged into business and doubled their investments similar to creating a fixed deposit in the bank to earn more interest. It is poor strategy to simply sit on the money for fear of losing it and not earn any dividends on it. Not using our talents is a sign of wickedness and laziness, totally unacceptable to God. Jesus never wasted a moment in His ministry, putting all that he had into selfless and productive service. He is our example.

The man with 2 talents did not compare himself to the 5- talent man, or grumble that he had received less than his co-worker. Without wasting time, he too ventured into business, doubled his money, and proved that he was as capable as his peer. Both of them were happy to meet their master on His return. They saw him as kind, generous and just, rewarding their labour with fairness and appreciation. At the same time, they understood his character and knew that he was a tough task master, and dared not squander what he had entrusted to them, knowing fully well that he would require an account on his return. Similarly, before leaving this earth, Jesus invested his disciples with His Holy Spirit, promising that He would return one day. Immediately the disciples started sowing into the kingdom, performing miracles, preaching the word and gathering plentifully into the barns, they were eager to hear Him say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.  Enter into the joy of the Lord.” These servants worked with joy, treating their talents as good seed that could be increased a hundred-fold if rightly used. And because they showed potential for future use, the master rewarded them by giving them more. In spite of there being no message or information to encourage them  during his absence, they remained true and faithful to their calling, and never doubted that their master would return one day.

On the other hand, the man who received one talent did not appear to be trustworthy and was rightly judged so by his master. This servant was timid and afraid. He perceived him as a hard task master, and being apprehensive of making a risky investment, he buried his talent until the master’s return, giving back exactly what he had received - one talent. Absolutely no increase or improvement, nothing praise worthy or fit for emulation. He incurred the wrath of the master, who said, “You wicked and lazy servant! Cast him into outer darkness.” What a terrible thing to hear from the master! If only he had proved his worth, he would have received a reward just like the others. Rather than being afraid of using what had been given to him fearing less, he should have been more afraid of facing the consequences of his poor choices which brought punishment upon him. If he had been scared of hell to begin with, he would not be in the mess he was in now. Like this unprofitable servant, are we too keeping our talents safe, afraid to use them thereby making them useless and unproductive? Rather than multiplying them and sharpening our skills by training them and using them for the benefit of ourselves and others, are we simply sitting idle and becoming dead weight? We need to examine ourselves and turn around.

How to multiply our talents

1. Be faithful in small things

Before David became king, he was a lowly shepherd boy cut off from the general public and out of sight. To while away the long tedious hours, he composed songs, practised on the harp and become skilful with the slingshot. He kept honing his skills till he became an expert. Then God chose him, “David his servant, and took him out of the sheepfolds, to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel, His inheritance. And David shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulness of his hand” (Psa 78:70-72). God blessed him with leadership skills, military prowess and literary achievements, because he was faithful in all the small things that make up a shepherd’s life, his calling.

If your life revolves around your family and providing for it, do it to the best of your ability. Children are a gift from God. They are like fertile soil and it is important what we sow into them. Bring them up to know the Saviour. Teach them to be kind and courteous, to be unselfish in their behaviour, to hear the word of God and obey it. If you raise them to be good citizens and stewards of all that God has blessed them with, then, in turn, you have multiplied your talents for the glory of God.

 Now, Deborah was the only woman judge of Israel (Judges 4). She balanced her roles as wife, prophetess and political leader with insight and wisdom from God. If Deborah had been an unwilling vessel, God could not have used her for His purposes, but because she heard and obeyed, her talents were multiplied and put to good use, and thus a housewife became a leader (Judges 5:31).

After the death of Moses, his faithful successor was Joshua, a man of faith, courage and dedication, the right candidate to fill Moses’s shoes. God saw his zeal, and inspired him to continue and finish the mighty task of leading the people into the promised land. Joshua was fully yielded to God’s leading and thereby fulfilled his mission by using his many talents to serve God. It is key to obey God’s word and submit to His leading. Thus a servant became a leader (Exo 24:13; 33:11, Num 11:28).

On the other hand, King Saul, who had been anointed to lead the people fell from grace when he allowed his pride to rule him. Instead of seeking counsel from the Lord, he turned to cult practices which  brought fear and anxiety  into his soul. He lost his anointing and his baser instincts took over, leading him into a downward path. If we shut our hearts to God, like Saul, our talents can never be polished and used. They will only remain buried and useless to both God and man.

Likewise, King Solomon started off well with an amazing gift. Initially, he put it to good use, becoming the wisest man in the world. People thronged to his courts just to listen to him talk. He wrote books and spoke proverbs and  had immeasurable wealth. Gradually however, he was enticed by the lure of women and wine,  and went on a downward spiral to his doom. How careful we should be in our daily walk if we need to multiply our talents.

2. Train Yourself

When David took on Goliath, it was a calculated decision based on his faith on God, though he challenged the giant on the spur of the moment. God had been preparing him beforehand to hone his skills with music and the slingshot, taking on wild animals to save his flock. He made good use of the resources available to him in those far off places. God undertook for him in everything. We  too can excel if we are ready to apply ourselves to the task at hand. If we exhibit some talent in music, there are numerous ways of improving our skills, either by joining a music class, choir or learning on line. If you have interest in writing, start with paragraphs based on interesting things you observe in daily life. There is subject matter all around you in people and nature. If you can, attend a writers conference or read books on the subject or talk to people who have a similar interest in writing. As Paul told Timothy, “Stir up the gift of God. (2 Tim1:6). If there is any other talent hidden in you, now is the time to dig it up and start using it. God is our helper and we can trust Him to inspire us.

3. Invest your talent.

Preaching is a wonderful gift from God. It is an investment in our life which yields rich dividends. Use this gift to bring others to Christ. Don't wait for formal invitations which may never come, but go voluntarily to homes, orphanages or villages and ask permission to share a word with them. The need is great in those areas and the people long to hear an uplifting and encouraging message of hope. If you do get invited to speak, do not be afraid, but trust in God and accept, believing that He will give you the words and the courage. Moses was chosen and told to go and speak to Pharaoh, but he made excuses and lost that golden opportunity. Still, God used him mightily later on. When Noah was told to build the ark, he eagerly accepted the challenge though he did not know the first thing about ship-building, God saw his willingness and heart of obedience and gave him the wisdom and talent he needed. Throughout that 100-year project, he simply obeyed God's instructions and remained faithful to his calling.

4. Keep yourself pure.

The one talented man was wicked. Talent in a person often attracts people. It is a natural consequence of brilliance, but if not kept in check, it will lead to pride, over-confidence and other sins. Many have fallen when they were puffed up by their own importance and looked down upon those less gifted. Jesus faced many temptations to sin but He kept himself pure. So did Joseph, who did not waver in the face of temptation. And because they overcame, they were promoted to a higher calling. On the other hand, Herod met a ghastly end because he boasted in his pride and was struck down. Be careful to give glory to God alone. Use your talents to promote God, not yourself. Laziness also is a sin in the sight of God. When you feel like lolling around, pull yourself together and push forward.

5. Avoid distractions.

Try not to do things you are not called to do. You will be wasting your time, unless your talents are multi-faceted. A writer should spend more time with pen and paper than getting busy with preaching or travelling. Sometimes, of course, they are inter-related and cannot be segregated. As far as possible, better stick to your calling and not be distracted by other things which may sidetrack you into ventures for which you have no talent.

How to identify your talent.

1.  Whether you are a lay person or someone in ministry, talent's take time to show up. Before you can reach your full potential, you must be ready to do everything, whether it is writing, speaking in public, visiting hospitals, jails, orphanages or villages. At some point, your latent talent will begin to surface and you will be able to identify it. Two brothers who were  diametrically opposite to each other are found in Genesis 25:25-34. Hairy baby Esau became  an outdoors man who enjoyed hunting and provided meat for the table, but Jacob the smooth baby, grew to a pastoral life under the tutelage of his mother. Both were talented but in different ways. Both committed disastrous mistakes, but God was patient, and brought them to a place of blessing and reconciliation. Therefore, when you notice an early bent towards something, work on it to improve it so that it becomes a useful tool in your hand.

2. What are you good at? In which area are you successful?

You may shine in more than one field if you are energetic, hard-working and naturally skilled in many things. Make a note of what you are really desirous of doing and pay extra attention to that.

3. What do others say you are good at?

Do you often hear complimentary remarks on what you are doing? Ponder on whether your view of yourself and what others appreciate in you are aligned, and whether your talent is useful and sought after by others. Do you get invited to preach or use your musical talents to perform? Do your writings get published so that others can learn from you? Are God’s people, His church, benefited by your gifts? If you have positive answers to these questions, then it is reasonable to assume that you have identified your talent. You can now work on it by praying for wisdom and knowledge to use your gift with love, kindness and self-control for the edification of others and for the glory of God.

As someone said: You cannot define talent. All you can do is build the green house and see if it grows!

Lilian's article written by Ms. Rani Jonathan

Dr. Lilian Stanley
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