Matthew 25:14-30

Now that school's over it's easy to sit back, relax and do nothing. That's what I've been doing, and it's not that great. I should be doing something productive. In addition, I have an exam to write tomorrow and I've been slacking in studying for that. This brought me to think of the parable of the talents.

I'm sure you all know this story, but I'll run through it quickly. A man going on a journey entrusts five talents to one servant, two talents to another servant and one talent to another servant. The servant with five talents turned five talents into ten talents and the servant with two talents turned the two talents into four talents. Each of these two servants did this when he "put his money to work" (v16, NIV). However, the servant with one talent hid the talent in the ground. When the man came back from his journey, he was pleased with the first two servants upon hearing what they did with the talents entrusted to them. However, he was unhappy with the third servant, saying "you wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest" (v26-27, ESV).

Okay, that wasn't that short. You should just go and read it for yourself. Anyway, our lives have been entrusted to us by God. We should use it wisely. I know I usually don't make good use of my time, but I should. The first two servants knew what to do, and I think the third servant knew what to do. The third servant was afraid, but we shouldn't be afraid. Let us stop being lazy. Let us produce and make good use of what has been given to us. Then we can present it to God at the end. Hopefully we'll hear the same the first two servants heard from their master.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

(v21, NIV)