Faithful To Our Gifts

 Matthew 25: 14-30

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.^[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ 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. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

God has doled out talents to each of us.  Some have received many, and in comparison, others, just a few, but all of us are responsible for using them. Today we celebrate St. Augustine, a man of many talents, but who for a good part of his life, did not put them to full use. Led by God, he learned slowly until "the dam broke" and he was totally swept away by God into his service.  Then did his talents for thinking, writing, speaking, leading, and shepherding let loose and for a thousand plus years, continue to impact Christians around the globe. What if he had not responded?  We'd all be so much poorer, for sure.  But God prevailed and won the heart and mind of this true pastor. His story, his conversion, his contribution to our lives as Christians are epic,  and provoke not only gratitude but wonder at the power of God as well as the call to use and be faithful to whatever gifts God has given each one of us.  May we be fertile soil for God's seed to take root in us as it did in St. Augustine.

Bro. Rene