If someone asked you, “What are your talents?” how would you respond?  I have noticed that we can be somewhat reticent to talk about our talents.  Perhaps in a desire to appear humble, we don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.  So we simply reply, “I’m just a sinner saved by grace.”  That may be true, but you are also God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works (Ephesians 2:10).

You have God-given talents and it is your responsibility to use them for His glory.  Jesus made this clear to His disciples in Matthew 25,

¹⁴ “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. ¹⁶ Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. ¹⁷ In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸ But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

²² “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

²⁴ “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. ²⁷ Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ²⁸ Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

²⁹ “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. ³⁰ Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The word talent pertains to that which is weighed, specifically referring to money.  It is significant to note that each one received talents corresponding to his own ability.  This parable reveals the importance of investing our God-given talents with the purpose of multiplying what has been entrusted to us.  William Barclay comments about this parable,

If a man has a talent and exercises it, he is progressively able to do more with it. But, if he has a talent and fails to exercise it, he will inevitably lose it. If we have some proficiency at a game or an art, if we have some gift for doing something, the more we exercise that proficiency and that gift, the harder the work and the bigger the task we will be able to tackle. Whereas, if we fail to use it, we lose it.

How are you using the talents that God has entrusted to you?  Have they become dormant because of disuse?  Don’t ignore the treasure within you.  Jossy Chacko challenges us, “Don’t allow earthly practicalities to cause you to lose sight of the heavenly possibilities.”  The following story portrays how we may ignore the treasure that resides deep within.

Yates Pool is a famous oil field in West Texas. During the Great Depression of the 1930’s, this field was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Ira Yates. Because of Yates’ inability to make enough money on his ranching operation to make his mortgage payment, he was in danger of losing his ranch.

One day a crew of men from an oil company came into the area and convinced Yates there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat test well. Yates agreed and at 1,115 ft, the drillers struck a mammoth pool of oil.  Yates was living on government subsidy while below him was an underground lake of oil. He was a potential multimillionaire living in poverty.

How many Christians have buried their talents, not realizing their incredible riches in Christ?  What talents has God given to you?  May we be found faithful in multiplying our talents for His glory.

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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