If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
… knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:1-4, 12-17, 24
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.
Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘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.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘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.’
Matthew 25:14-17, 19-23
“Well done” is not like steaks – it’s not how much is enough, but it’s did you use or not use your gifts?
Matthew 25:20-21
made (gained) & faithful – not because of the amount but because they used what they were given not knowing if it was successful or not.
A slave owns nothing – was entrusted to use what he was given. None of it, not the gain or the original, belonged to the slaves.
5 talents approximately equal $4 million today! The Master considered only a few things. God holds whole galaxies in His hands! So, yeah. A 100 years of wages is only a few things.
Still, this seems like a lot. Think about what value you put on your children, your spouse, your health… the Gospel. All of this has been entrusted to us! In considering this value, we can realize how greatly we’ve been blessed! Also, we realize how much God values each of us and our relationship with Him.
God delights in me – who I am, whose I am, and the opportunity to bless me with what is His. “At once” = right now! I’m to use what God has entrusted to me – my life, health, talents, and more.
This parable points us back to Jesus, who He is, and moves us to action.
We use what we’ve been given because of Who gave it.