Settling Accounts
Matthew 25:14-30
Is it time to take stock?
Photo by Andrik Langfield on Unsplash
14“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them;15to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.16The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents.17In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents.18But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.19After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.20Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’22And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’23His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’24Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed;25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’26But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter?27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.28So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.29For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.30As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ - Matthew 25:14-30
No-one likes losing what they were given, even if they were given it to hold for a while knowing they would have to give it back.
We are strange that way. We expect to be able to keep what we were entrusted with as if it belongs to us. So were we given this life or entrusted with it?
I am sure most of us feel this life belongs to us. We were given it by our parents and God in that order. For some, God doesn’t even enter into it. This is my life. I can do with it what I please, right?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
If we flip our perspective and look at this life from God’s purview, we may see a different arrangement. Here is a life. Show me what you can do with it.
Wow.
What am I doing with this life? Am I investing my time wisely? Am I showing God that His investment in me was worth it. And if you have a problem seeing God in this picture, think of your mom, whether you knew her or not. She suffered pan to bring you into this world. Was her investment worth it?
When we look at our lives this way we realize we have work to do. No one should leave this life without having brought joy and love to someone else. That is returning more talents to God than we received.
More to come…
This reflection is food for thought. Thank you
Normally I post a photo with these daily reflections but I wrote it on a plane on my way to my world cruise. Stay tuned.