May the mumbling commence!
God has gifted all of us with something. You and I may look around and see that some people seem to be more gifted than others. Some people even wonder if God missed them in the distribution of gifts. But I am convinced that each person that God created has a gift that she can hone and cultivate the fruit.
Jesus told a parable about God’s distribution of gifts. In Matthew, there is the parable of the talents. Most Christians are familiar with this parable. One person gets five talents, while another receives two and another receives one. It is far too easy to get caught up in the unequal distribution of talents.
Luke has a version of the story that does not get preached on nearly as much, in my experience. This parable evens the playing field. Read it below from Luke chapter nineteen:
While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'
But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'
'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'
The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.'
His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'
Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.'
His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'
Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'
'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!'
He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them – bring them here and kill them in front of me.'" (Verses 11-27)
Each of the servants receives one mina. The playing field is level. There is no excuse for not using the God-given gifts you receive. Think about this: Each of us is given a body. Some of us are diligent and working out and eating right. Some of us are not.
Does that mean that the person who cares for her body has received more than the person who didn’t? No. She only has bigger muscles because she has worked with them more. The same can be said about our minds and hearts. The gifts that we receive from God are no different. Hone them, practice them, and cultivate the fruits – or you will apparently lose them.
But, what’s with the subjects’ anger, anyway? Sometimes knowing the burden of a gift that’s main purpose is service-oriented can cause the recipient to be quite moody. Jesus tells us that to those who have been given much, much will be expected. It is a burden to bear.
And faithful servants want to hear the words, “Well done, my good servant.” In this parable – unlike the parable from Matthew – only the servant who makes ten minas hears this. That's a high standard!
Let us set aside expectations and the fear of failure, so that we may serve out of love. Then, we will know great harvests from our God-given gifts.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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