Buried Talents

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. The one who had received the five talents immediately went and did business with them, and earned five more talents. In the same way the one who had received the two talents earned two more. But he who received the one talent went away and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. [...When the Master returned ...] Now the one who had received the one talent also came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. And I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you still have what is yours.’" - Matthew 25:14-18, 24-25 

You have probably heard a sermon, or two, about the Three T's; Time, Talents, and Treasure. Those things that all Christians have to offer in fulfilling the great commission and building up the Body of Christ.  The parable in Matthew 25 was not just about the T for Treasure - financial gain. It was a metaphor or analogy for all three T's. The idea is that with what God has given each us; time, talents and treasure, comes the responsibility to be faithful toward the Master's intent for the giving. In other words there is a heavenly expectation that we fulfill His intent in giving us what He gives us for spiritual purposes. 

"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many." - 1 Corinthians 12:4-14

Do you see how interdependent the Body of Christ is? The Body of which you are a part! For the Body to function the way that God intended, we must all do our part. There are many Christians, I hesitate to say "most", that see their new life as their life - individually - being a Christian certainly but not responsible to God for doing anything more than managing their sins.  If they can just stop sinning so much they consider it a win. Living a sanctified life with a pure heart is certainly important - but as Pastor Rick Warren wrote in the Purpose Driven Life, "It's not about you!"

What have you hidden in the "ground" that God has given you charge of because your faith or your devotion to the One who saved you has been weakened by other worldly concerns?

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone