THE parable of the Talents, recorded in the 25th chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel, is exceedingly solemn. It shows us that a reckoning day is coming, when we shall each have to give an account of ourselves to the Master. There was a man who was traveling into a far country, and he called together his own servants, and delivered to them his goods. To their own lord, therefore, these servants stood or fell: upon them was imposed the solemn trust of doing their best, in their lord’s interest, for him in his absence. Some of these servants were more fit, more capable, than others, and to them all — to “every man according to his several ability,” were the talents awarded. Their lord knew the powers of “his own servants,” and the greater the ability each possessed the greater was the responsibility laid upon him. “Unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one.”
So in their lord’s absence the servants went forth, and he that had the five talents traded with them, and made five more; and he that had the two did likewise, and made other two: they both doubled their lord’s money. “But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.” All “received” the gift from the hand of their lord; in no case was the talent the servant’s own, but a special trust committed to him: hence, the servant who bad but one talent was as much under oblation to his lord as the servant who had the five.
And this is the point we would so earnestly press upon our young friends. True, there are but few of the Lord’s servants who possess the five talents, but no doubt, since the servant who had the five had also the ability to use that number, it was no easier for him to gain five other talents than it would have been for the servant who had the one talent to gain one other, had the latter had as good a heart for his master as the former.
We are called to diligence according to our measure in using our gift, our talent. Make use of the one which the Lord has entrusted to you, we would say to the young Christian. So many waste life, waiting for a great gift to come to them. Use well the little, and then the Lord may give further ability. Each believer has some ability, and at least one talent. It is not necessary to be distinguished in order to be useful. One hour a week that we use for Christ is an opportunity — may we not say a talent? — for which we must give account by and by. If all God’s people realized the value of such a talent as this, what great work would their collective labor effect for their Lord. Do not be carried away, beloved young Christian, with the excuse, “I am nobody, and I can do nothing for Christ.” Begin with your one hour a week and by and by He will give you two, and may be five, in which to serve Him.
Sometimes we think that jealousy of the other servants led him who had but the one talent to hide his lord’s money in the earth. Be that as it may it is not for any servant of Christ to stand by with folded arms and unmoved heart while others are doing the Lord’s work. If we look up to the starry sky we see one star differ from another star in glory; the brightest does not displace the feeblest light, but all give forth their beauty just as the hands of their Creator have placed them in the heavens. So should it be upon this earth; each of us shining according to our measure, each in our little corner. And oh, how small we all are!
Had the unprofitable servant known the goodness of his lord’s heart, he would never have buried the talent in the earth; and let us ask ourselves why it is the Master has entrusted to us even one hour a week to use for Him. Surely, because He is so good and gracious. Who served as He: who labored, who suffered as Jesus? He has gone into the heavens, where He is now seated, but for the joy that was set before Him He endured, despising the shame. Presently He will come out from these heavens, and in His grace He would say then to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Not the gift of a cup of cold water given to a disciple in His name will be forgotten in that day. There will be no loving deed done for Him by the youngest and the humblest, which He will pass over or forget in the reckoning day. And, after all, a true heart for Christ is the needs be for us all. A good and faithful servant delights in his good and faithful Master, and uses the talent committed to him for his Master’s Honor and glory.
On the reckoning day there will be a call to each who is a servant to account for the talent or talents committed to him. The talent will reappear before the Master’s face; the responsibility for its use will stand out clear then. May none of us be forced to say, “Lord, behold Thy pound, which I have laid up in a napkin; or, “I was afraid, and went and hid Thy talent in the earth lo, there, Thou hast that is Thine.”