Stewards of Life, Pt. 8: "You've Got Talent"

YOU’VE GOT TALENT (MATTHEW 25:13-30)
Newsweek magazine published the results of an interview with respondents two years before the actual countdown to the new millennium began in earnest. People were asked this question: “If money were no object, how would you like to prepare for the arrival of the new millennium?”

26% of the respondents say they would spend a day being pampered at a spa. Two groups of people are tied at 16% - one group prefers to spend six months with a personal trainer, but another group has loftier ambitions: they would have an item made to order by a famous jeweler. 14% state they would like to have an outfit specially designed by a couturier.

A small cross-section of the respondents has contrasting wishes. 7% wish to take dance lessons with John Travolta or Paula Abdul, while the smallest, 3% minority think of getting plastic surgery. (Newsweek 12/8/97)

The parable of the talents is about three servants entrusted with riches beyond their belief. An owner going for a long time on a distant journey distributed his wealth generously among his servants. Two of the servants made a fortune from what they have but one made a mess of what he has.

What should our attitude be with what God has given us? How should we take action? Why should we add and multiply what we have instead of staying stagnant and being unfruitful?

Stewardship is About Employing Resources, Not Emphasizing Riches
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. (Matt 25:13-18)

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke frankly of her family upbringing when she was the 2004 graduation speaker of Vanderbilt University. She talked of growing up in Birmingham, Ala., before the civil rights movement — a place once described as the most thoroughly segregated city in the country, and she credited her paternal grandfather for shaping and changing her family’s life. She said of her grandfather:
He died before I was born, but he was a huge figure in our lives. Granddaddy Rice was a sharecropper's son in Ewtah, Ala., and one day he decided he was going to get book learning, so he asked in the parlance of the day how a colored man might get to college. They told him about 50 miles down the road there was this little Presbyterian college called Stillman, and if he would go there he could get an education. So he saved up his cotton, and he took off for Tuscaloosa, and he finished his first year of college.

And they said, “Now, how are you going to pay for your second year?” He said, “Well, I'm out of cotton.” They said, “You're out of luck, you'll have to leave Stillman.” And so he said, “Well, how are those boys going to school?” And they said, “Well, you see, they have what's called a scholarship, and if you wanted to be a Presbyterian minister then you could have a scholarship too.” And my grandfather said, “Well, you know, that's just what I had in mind.” And my family has been Presbyterian and college-educated ever since. (Los Angeles Times 6/13/04 “This World ‘was Built by Optimists, not Pessimists’”)

In His bodily absence, God meant us for hard work and utmost effectiveness, not easy living or minimum output. The words describing the “journey” (v 14) traveled by the owner are the same words used for the distance covered by the owner in the parable of the vineyard (Matt 21:33, Mark 12:1, Luke 20:9) and the prodigal son in leaving home (Luke 15:13). We all have responsibility to use what God has given us. What God has given us is called “property” (v 14) in NIV. Property doesn’t mean real estate; the term means “goods” or “possessions” and has been used for the means Jesus’ women followers have used for supporting the group (Luke 8:3), the possessions of the rich fool (Luke 12:15), and the possessions Zacchaeus gave away (Luke 19:8). Further, the term is not singular but plural in Greek. What God has given us is more than enough to supply his needs. In fact, He gave generously, abundantly and lavishly. Even the one with only one talent has a lot. D.A. Carson argues that the talent was a sliver talent on the basis of the Greek word “argurion” (vv 18, 27), estimating the weight of a silver talent to 58-80 pounds and pegging a talent of silver to 6,000 days of work for a common laborer (Expositor’s Commentary “Matthew” p. 516). That amounts to 20 years of salary, enough for one to be a millionaire, start a business or buy a few houses. God gave everyone not according to the individual’s wants, but according to his ability and capacity.

The response of the first servant was praiseworthy (v 16). What he heard was too much to ask for and was too good to be true, had he not personally heard it from the master’s lips. He was eager, spirited and hardworking. The servant sprang to his feet, got right to work and made hay while the sun shone. The Greek word for his attitude is the word “eutheos” in verse 16 (at once),the source for the English word “enthused” and for the Greek word “inspired.” A light bulb popped in his head, his eyes widened and grew big like golf balls and his heart speeding like a NASCAR driver. He was inspired by the big gift, ready to invest his newfound money and passionate about his startup business. The trustee couldn’t wait to try out or put on the entrepreneur hat and put his skill, knowledge and experience to work.

The Greek text says “he ‘worked’ ‘with’ (the money)” (v 16) - the money did not work, enslave or control him. He did not work for the money or have to work hard for the money, the money worked for him. Neither did he give his money to managers and professionals to invest. The word “worked with” describes the effort the father demanded of his boys in the parable of the two sons (Matt 21:28), the beautiful work done by the women who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair (Matt 26:10, Mark 14:6). The servant was not a slave to his money, but a steward or supervisor of his money. The money gave him power, but he was not its slave.

Stewardship is About Embracing Responsibilities, Not Enduring Requirements
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21 “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!' 22 “The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23 “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!' (Matt 25:19-23)

I am not an aggressive, adventurous or ambitious person, but I have also learned to come out of my shell.

The first time I saw this lengthy quote in a secretary’s office I hesitated to ask for a copy of it from a person I barely know. That was after I barely arrived in Los Angeles. The most I could hear was “No,” I thought to myself, so I plucked up my courage and the lady kindly made a copy for me on her copy machine. The quote reminded me of the risks of inactivity, passivity and fear, and not to give in to them but to resist them at all times. It reads:
“RISKS”
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes, they are a slave, they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.

Matthew the former tax collector likes to talk about “settling accounts” (v 19). He is the only gospel writer that emphasizes the word (v 19, Matt 18:23). Only the first two servants understood that they were merely “entrusted” with the master’s money (vv 20, 22). The word “entrusted” is paradidomi, or para (over) + didomi (give). The talent was given over to them, but not given to them. Given over means that they were not held back on decision-making; they were free to decide what to do with the money. The English word “entrust” means en (good) + trust, or in good trust or in good faith. They heard, read and understood the master’s intention (v 14). There was no miscommunication, confusion and uncertainty about the instructions. They were not given free money, but a free hand.

The word “gain” (vv 17, 20, 22) has a sharp theological bite. The Greek word “gain” occurs 16 times in the New Testament, warning what one can gain or win in this life and the next, in life and afterlife. Solely having material gain from making money (James 4:13) and gaining the whole world but losing one’s soul is no good (Matt 16:26, Mark 8:36, Luke 9:25) and relational gain from winning over or gaining back an errant brother is commendable (Matt 18:15), but nothing compares or come close to heavenly gain, such as winning souls to Christ (1 Cor. 9:19, 1 Peter 3:1), counting everything as loss compared to gaining Christ (Phil 3:8). Material gain is no gain or profit, relational gain has some gain, but spiritual gain is the most gain, the most rewarding and lasting.

The servants stood upright and proudly declared they have gained five and two more talents. Not that they were proud of their material investment, but they were proud that they have fulfilled their potential, learned new skills, made a breakthrough and maximized their gifts, earnings and talents, even though five talents were peanuts to the master; they were “a few things” to the master (v 21). The Greek word is oligos, where the word “oligarchy,” ruling by a small group, is derived. It has been translated as “very little” (Luke 16:10), “a very small matter” (Luke 19:17) or “a few things” (Matt 25:23) – small potatoes. This word is only uttered and used by Jesus and no one else.

Stewardship is About Enjoying Relationships, Not Expecting Rewards
24 “Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 26 “His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' (Matt 25:24-30)

Someone contrasted the mindset of a winner and loser this way:
The loser frequently feels victimized; the winner habitually becomes vitalized.
The loser is controlled by obstacles; the winner is excited by challenges.
The loser is perplexed by problems; the winner is propelled by possibilities.
The loser is fearful of failure; the winner is confident of victory.
The loser is impressed by status; the winner is empowered by love.
The loser gives up; the winner grows up, looks up, and steps up.
The loser magnifies his misfortunes; the winner creates opportunities.
The loser worships conformity; the winner expresses originality.
The loser hopes to be average; the winner strives to be an example.
The loser is constricted by caution; the winner is activated by adventure.
The loser misuses his tongue in condemnation; the winner uses his tongue in commendation. (Speaker's Digest)

All the servants received their talents (vv 16, 18, 20, 22, 24) without hesitation but they were not in for a free ride or a free lunch. One day the master returned from his long absence and distant travel to receive back (v 27) his investment with interest and return.

But the man with one talent had a curious response when he was offered the money. He did not reject the money outright; he accepted the money but not the work or responsibility. His decision next baffled the mind. He did not just cover up the money; he dug deep and wide. He dug up a hole not just the size of a golf ball, a tennis ball or even a basketball; he dug up a sinkhole, a pond or a Jacuzzi to cover the 58-80 pounds talent. The word for “dig” (v 18) is the work the owner of the vineyard did to dig or make his winepress (Matt 21:33, Mark 12:1), which is a hole in the ground used by a harvester to stomp grapes.

The man with one talent did his digging it in secret, or the NIV word “hid” or the Greek word krupto (v 18), where the English word “cryptic” is derived. He would dig in the middle of the night and in the cover of darkness, when the neighbors are asleep, to avoid suspicion and to deflect questions. His attitude was, “Why bother? I may as well go home and kill time (da fa shijian), shake legs, and be a land surveyor (Chinese slang for unemployment).

The last person turned out to be a fake and a joke, which was not amusing to the master. The first two said, “Behold (in Greek), another five talents” and “Behold, another two talents,” but the last said “Behold” when there was nothing to behold. If that wasn’t enough, he followed it up with disparaging remarks that were not fit from a servant’s mouth and not fair to the master’s good intentions.

The opening remarks raised the master’s eyebrows and took the master by surprise. The first two said, “Master, You…” (vv 20, 22) but the last one said, “Master, I…” (v 24). He was full of himself and passive-aggressive without knowing it. The prolonged absence and the unusual freedom he had got to the servant’s head and made him forget about his status. He started on a bad foot with his foul mouth. The attitude, tone and viewpoint were all wrong.

The Greek word “hard” (v 24) occurs just 6 times in the Bible; it does not mean tough, but fierce, harsh and severe, literally. The word skleros and its root skelos is the basis for the English word skeleton. It was akin to accusing the master of being hard to the bone – no flesh, blood, or heart. The word was used to state to how “hard” (Acts 26:14) for Paul to kick against the goads in his blind hatred for Christ and the church. Not only did the servant belittle his gift and blame the master, he also slandered his reputation and questioned his character. The master was his lord when it comes to settling accounts (vv 21, 23, 26), but the servant was acting like he was the lord and that he had a bone to pick with the master.

So the master called him “lazy” (v 26), the only time the Greek word has been slapped specifically on someone. The truth of the matter was that he was lazy, not putting the money to work in the least way, not even depositing it in the bank and collecting interest on it. 2% nowadays may not seem much but 6,000 days’ wages or 20 years pay add up in time. He was also called “worthless servant” (v 30), or unprofitable servant. The master gave him the opportunity to be his own boss, but he was not even fit to be servant without his boss around! He didn’t know what to do without his master’s presence telling him what to do and keeping an eye on him. He used to be fit to be a servant; now he’s a worthless servant, a servant who needs a servant’s supervision - what a waste of time, opportunity and rice, needless to say!

The word for “receive it back” (v 27) is different from the previous word “receive” that was used for what the slaves received previously. What the servant had were “receive” but what the Lord “receives back” is to obtain. The Lord doesn’t want to receive something from us, but obtain something from it. The first receive has to do with the raw material, but the second receive has to do with the final product. We receive something but the Lord wants to obtain something from it. The servant shortchanged the master when he returned the money “as is.” He did not count on inflation, which had deflated the value of the money he returned. Houseowners know a $200,000 3-bedroom house in the suburbs cannot even buy a 2-bedroom house ten years later.

The joy the servants received were not joy from the investment or seeing heavenly riches, but the “joy of thy Lord” (vv 21, 23). The Greek phrase occurs only in this passage and nowhere else in the Bible. The Bible contrasts joy over material things and emotional feelings with joy from the Lord, which is eternal and cannot be taken,

Conclusion: What is your answer to this question: How many talents does a Christian have? The only correct answer is, “At least one.” Man is not meant for work, but man is meant to work. Our lives are not centered around work but our lives are off-center without work. Have you used your talent or talents for God’s glory, in the church, to serve Him and to help or benefit others? Will the Lord find you faithful when He comes?

Discussion Questions (Contributed by Daniel Hung)
1. What skills do you have? If you were one of the servants, how many talents would God have entrusted you with?
2. The servant with one talent made some wrong assumptions and conclusions. Do we also sometimes make the same mistake? How can we truly know God and understand His will?
3. How can we be “good and faithful” (vv 21, 23) ? With what attitude shall we serve God – to “gain credit” or to “not make mistake” ?

Reflection Question
1. Reflect on your journey in serving God. What are the things that made you thankful and what are the things that are regretful? How can you serve God better?