Wednesday in the Twenty-Sixth Week of Ordinary Time

Matthew 25:14-30

Due Diligence in the Kingdom

Today’s lesson fills me with conviction.  It is a passage with which we are all familiar: The Parable of the Talents.  There are those who want to make this parable about money, and we should certainly use our money wisely.  But I think that to focus on that aspect is to miss the point.  The point of the parable is stewardship; that is, the use of all the resources that the Lord has given us for the benefit of His Kingdom.

So the Kingdom of heaven is like a wealthy man who goes on a long journey and so entrusts his servants with his property while he is gone.  This reminds us, as did yesterday’s parable, that our Lord taught his disciples that he was going away and would be gone “a long time” before his return; that is, Jesus did not expect to return immediately, liberal theologians, notwithstanding.  Before he leaves, the master dispenses money to each servant “according to his ability,” a very important detail.  We are reminded that we are not only not given the same gifts but even gifted in different amounts; that is, some of us are more gifted and capable than others.  And that’s okay; they have the more responsibility.  But that’s not the point of the parable, either.  So let’s continue.

The servant given five talents (a lot of money back then) earns five more.  That’s a one-hundred percent return!  But hear what the master says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.  Enter into the joy of your master.”  Wait a minute; he had been faithful over only a little?  Yep, that’s what the master said.  We are reminded that when we have done our best, we have done only what is expected of us (Luke 17:10), but we are also reminded that our reward is greater than anything we can conceive.  The master rewards the servant who had only two talents the same.  Note our Lord’s justice: the man did all he could do with what he had, and he is similarly rewarded.

But the third servant hid his master’s talent out of fear.  He even accuses his master of being a thief!  Our God owns the world; there is nothing that is not His.  His master convicts him of being so lazy he wouldn’t even deposit the money in the bank!  And after taking the talent from him and giving it to the one who had ten talents, the master says, “To everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance.  But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”  And this is fair.  Let us be good stewards of what has been entrusted to us, lest it be taken from us – justly.

Author: The Reformed Baptist

My name is Stephen Taylor, ordained Baptist minister of eighteen years pastoral experience with a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Better than that, I am married to a godly woman, Karla, who has been very patient with me since 1989. I have two daughters, both of whom I homeschooled for extended periods of time, who became godly young women, and who ran off and married godly young men, all of which is very proper. The oldest daughter has even seen fit to bless me with a grandson and a granddaughter, and my youngest daughter with a grandson, all three of whom are bundles of exceeding joy. As you can see, I am quite blessed. This website is dedicated to helping people grow in the wisdom and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ through the gift of writing that the Lord has given to me. It is specifically about helping His people grow in godliness, the theme you see repeated above. I write devotions with this aim and hope that they might be of some help to God’s people. Full disclosure: I am of a Reformed bent, meaning that my understanding of Scripture is primarily informed by the Reformers and their successors of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. However, as a student of church history and theology, I strive to remain true to that teaching handed down once for all unto the saints through every age of the Church. I like to think of myself as a “catholic” Christian, as the Reformers thought of themselves. At any rate, feel free to read, pray, and contact me if you wish, or correct me if need be. As you can see, I tend to follow the church year. Of course, I make no special claims about these devotions. I know very well that others have written better and plumbed the depths of God’s word with greater insight. But if my musings help someone draw closer to the Lord, well then, I have my reward. Blessings to you and may the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ speak to you that word which He knows you especially need to hear. Grace & peace, Stephen Taylor View all posts by The Reformed Baptist