The Parable of the Talents

A little while back I taught my siblings a Bible lesson on Matthew 25:14-30, The Parable of the Talents.

To illustrate my lesson I gave each of them five pictures of an animal. I asked each of them to take care of my animals while I was gone on my “trip.” I told them to draw pictures of where they could have the animals live and we taped the animals on. Then I returned from my “trip” and I found my sheep in a meadow wearing colorful sweaters and hats, my fish were in an ocean full of water, my birds in cozy nests, and my bunnies in bright green grass. I was pleased with their care for my animals and I granted them each five more of the specified animal. I also took the animals from the “Lazy Servant” (a toy car) and asked my “Good and Faithful Servants” to take care of that one too.

 

The Lord has been teaching me a lot lately about faithfulness. Not just His faithfulness, but mine.

Are we being a good steward with that which the Lord has given us? Or are we so distracted with trying to get more responsibility from Him that we’re not even caring for what He has already given us?

Our society teaches us that if we want something we need to take charge and get it ourselves. But the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man traveling to a faraway country, who divided his goods among his servants. Those who are “good and faithful” will receive, but those who bury what has been given to them will not even have that.

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10

For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

Matthew 25:29

Abundant life isn’t found in that next “big” moment, abundant life is found right here, in the faithfulness of this moment.

When I returned from my “trip” and found that the “Lazy Servant” (the toy car) had neglected my precious animals I took them from him. I brought the little bunny over to Abby and asked. “Will you take care of this hurt little bunny for me?” She silently nodded yes and I could see the honor on her face to be the trusted servant.

 

 

I want to be that trusted servant; the one who the Lord can entrust His most precious treasures too.

When I was in my early twenties I decided I wanted to be a photographer. I had taken some pictures once and I knew I would love it! I saw a fancy camera in an ad and I wanted to get it. I went to the Lord and asked if I could buy it and His reply was: use the camera you have first. Discover what it can do and find out if you really want to be a photographer.

 

(One of my early rabbit pictures taken with my old camera. I had a lot of practice ahead of me!)

 

I took that little camera out almost every day when I went on my morning walk through the neighborhood. For 6 months I worked on my photography and exhausted that little camera’s abilities. I’m so grateful that the Lord made me wait six months before I got that new camera. The new camera is great, but the joy I found in being faithful with the old one is even greater.

The abundance is right here before us, if we’d only stop to live it.

Being faithful isn’t always easy, but the Lord doesn’t send us out to do it alone. He has given us His Holy Spirit to empower us to walk out each day.

I used to be excited about the “more” I would get if I was faithful, until I discovered, through being faithful, the abundance I already have today.
 



(3 months after the above picture was taken, I took this picture with my new camera.)