Let’s look at the parable of the talents from Matthew 25:14-23.
Matthew 25:14-23 NKJV
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
Yes I did cut the parable short because we always focus on the third servant, but I want to purposely take a look at the first two servants. Both of these servants were given different amounts. One was given five talents while the other was given two. Both went out and traded to double what they had been given. What was the master’s response to both? ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ The same response. Why does that matter?
Because the two talent man could have begun to compare himself to the five talent man and felt like what he was doing was not enough. He could have belittled the work that he was doing and stopped. Instead he worked with what he had and accomplished what he could. And because of this he got the same response from the master that the five talent man did.
You see we all have different things to do in life. I believe many times we feel like because we haven’t accomplished what someone else has that we are less than or that we haven’t accomplished enough. My question is, are you doing what God gave you to do? If you are doing that then you are doing the right thing.
For the ministers, you may see these evangelists and preachers at conferences and going all over the world to deliver the Gospel. While you pastor a small church. Or maybe you don’t even pastor, maybe you just preach at your church randomly. Maybe you aren’t even a minister. Maybe you teach Sunday school, or you’re an usher or maybe you are just a faithful saint. You may not hold a formal position at church, but you are part of the body of Christ. Every part of the body has a function.
All of us have different callings, different things that we are supposed to do. If that is what God called you to do then be good and faithful in it. Because that is all He requires. Who knows the circle of influence you might have. You do not know whos’ eternity you may affect just by doing the very thing that you are doing.
I heard the story of an usher once at a revival meeting that saw some boys passing by and when the boys saw how crowded it was they began to walk away. The usher stopped the boys and found them a seat. One of those boys went on to be an evangelist across the globe. Because one usher was good and faithful at his job.
As you walk through this life, share the love of Christ. People say all the time, strive to be great. I understand the thought, but in your striving to be great don’t forget to be good and faithful. Don’t compare yourself to others, but do what God has given you to do, then one day you will hear ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
Galatians 6:9 ISV Let’s not get tired of doing what is good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest—if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:4 TLB
Let everyone be sure that he is doing his very best, for then he will have the personal satisfaction of work well done and won’t need to compare himself with someone else.
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