Perspective: The Parable of the Lost Talent

A preview of my upcoming sermon, "The Measure of Success"

I share these thoughts hoping they are of help to someone else.

The Parable of the Lost Talent

Scripture:

We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.

Romans 8:28 (The Voice)

God is great, but sometimes life ain't good

And when I pray it doesn't always turn out like I think it should

But I do it anyway

I do it anyway

From "Do It Anyway" by Martina McBride

A wealthy man who was going on a journey called three of his servants and entrusted a sum of money to each of them. To one he gave the sum of five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five talents went out at once and invested his money and gained five more. Similarly, the one with two talents gained two more. The servant who had received one talent, inspired by the boldness and ingenuity of the other two servants, also went out and sought an enterprise in which he could invest. He found a business venture that looked both stable and promising, and he invested the talent. Unfortunately, his investment proved to be a bad one, and he lost all of the money entrusted to him.

After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who received five talents brought the other five. "Master," he said, "you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more!"

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

The man who received two talents also came. "Master," he said, "you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more!"

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

Then the man who lost the one talent came forward and fell down on his hands and knees before his master. Wishing he had instead buried the talent, he cried out, "Master, have mercy on me! I know that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. Like your other two servants, I sought a business in which to invest your talent, but I made a bad investment and lost your talent. I have failed you! Please forgive me!"

His master looked at him, knelt down, and whispered in his ear, saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant."¹

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In the original "Parable of the Talents," the third servant did not invest the talent entrusted to him. He was afraid and chose to bury it instead. When the master came back, he was very angry with the third servant because of his cowardice and threw him "into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."²

I wrote this alternate interpretation of the "Parable of the Talents" because I believe that the master's primary concern was not the return on his servants' investments.

What do you think?


Notes:
1 - Based on Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV84)
2 - Matthew 25:30 (NRSV)

The image featured in this perspective is public domain.


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