Talents

I have felt for a while that the parable of the talents is speaking of much more than stewardship of our finances.

I'm sure you all know the story--the master gives three of his servants talents (a measure of money, by weight).  He gives one 5 talents, one 2 talents and the third 1 talent.  He goes away and comes back and asks what they did with their talents.  The first and second servants doubled their money, but the third was afraid and buried his.  The master was not happy about this and took his 1 talent and gave it to the servant that had 10. (Found in Matthew 25)

Well, last night we were reading in Luke at the dinner table and came across a very similar parable, but this one mentioned minas as the monetary unit. Also, there was an interesting clause added at the end.

This parable confirms it for me. These parable are not talking about stewardship of our finances, although that is a good lesson that everyone should learn. No, they are talking about stewardship of the TALENTS, gifts, and abilities that God has placed in each and every one of us!

The story of the minas is a little different from the one about the talents.  There are ten servants, each given 1 mina.  The master goes away.  Notice there is a mention of citizens that are refusing to submit to his authority, they are a separate group from the servants.  When the master comes back he wants an account of the business of the servants.  One servant multiplied his mina by 10, so the master rewards him with rulership over 10 cities.  The next servant multiplied his mina by 5, so, again, the master rewards him with rulership over 5 cities.  Then a third servant enters the scene and we find that he was afraid of his master and hid his mina away in a handkerchief.  The master was not pleased with this, so he took his mina and gave it to the one that had 10.  And then notice in verse 27, that other group of citizens.  The master has them all executed because they refused to submit to his authority.  (Read in Luke 19)

The minas are talents (gifts and abilities), the work that we are doing.  (This is not working for salvation, that is a gift.)

God has given all of us talents--what are yours?  Are you using your talents for God's glory?  To multiply His kingdom?  Or are you hiding your talents away?  The master will want an account when He comes back.  We will either be rewarded or have our work taken away.

The citizens who refuse His authority?  Who are they?  Read Psalm 2.  Do we know anyone in this world that is refusing to recognize God's authority?  Now read Revelation 19:11-21.  The Master will slay them all.  Click here to read my article on that topic.