Use of Talents

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. 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 placethere will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Something new struck me about this parable today. The master gives out the talents, giving more to those who have the ability to use them, and expects them to use them. However, what suddenly came into my mind, was that the master doesn't tell the servants what to do with their talents. Yes, he expects the servants to use them, develop them in some way, and show a profit at the end, but he doesn't tell them how. There's a wide open door here, which really opens up a lot of possibilities for how we view our students and their gifts.

Using your gifts and talents is not necessarily only about sharing them with others, for example, having a gift for things musical. Just because you have a lot of talent for piano or singing or violin or. . . doesn't mean that this must be the focus of your life. You may have other talents that also need development, and your music may be one of the ways you learn the various skills that will benefit you in these other areas as well. Just because you have a lot of talent in one area or another, doesn't mean you must spend your life on it. That might mean stunting the growth of other talent areas in your life.

The unworthy servant doesn't do anything with his--doesn't even put it in the bank so it collects interest (develop it in a minor way--taking piano lessons, for example) and this is why he is cast out. It's the fact that he didn't do anything with it at all that is the problem. Not using what you have been given, but squandering it or hiding it in the ground is the sin here. Our talents are gifts from God--His property, loaned to us until His return--and it is our responsibility to steward and develop them for His glory. He has given us the talent, but how we develop it is primarily left up to us--as long as we are developing them in God-honouring and glorifying ways, we are doing His will.