Unburying the Talent

In the Parable of the talents in Matthew 25, three men are entrusted with talents. This didn’t literal talents. That was a currency back then, but it can as well substitute for what it actually is. Let’s read the parable first;

For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his Lord’s money. (Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭14‬-‭18)

Now, many of us after receiving business ideas, or any profitable thoughts, we bury them like that third servant. Perhaps the invisible master is God; and He is answering your prayer of unemployment, or stagnation, by giving you that idea …

Or perhaps He has entrusted you with that skill or talent that you need to grow and monetize. But you have overlooked it! Maybe it is those around you who have made you see no value in it — so you have buried it!

Not only have you buried it, but your dreams too! Maybe they fit the far-fetch description. But what if Pharaoh buried the dream he had! What if Joseph buried his!

It is one thing to bury a talent or idea when others scrutinize it. It is another burying it altogether even before you let it live. I’d call that abortion.

And we must know, that if we do this — if we kill ideas and dreams — we are being that one servant, and guess what his reward was!

This is how the story ends;

Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ “But his Lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.

So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭24‬-‭30‬)

While the first two servants received ‘well done good and faithful’ acknowledgements from the master, the last was thrown out, having the little he had been entrusted taken away from him as well.

But I plead the Lord’s mercy over you and me. That if we have buried any talent, that God’s Spirit lovingly may intercede for us, and show us what to do with what we have been given, that we may multiply it and increase it as the master requires; or unbury what we could have unknowingly hidden … before He returns.