T here must always come a day , no matter what business you may be in, when accounts have to be settled. In the parable of the stewards and their talents in the Olivet Discourse, we see this definitely illustrated. Let me ask you first of all, however, if you know what a talent really is, as given to us in this portion of God’s Word. Someone may say, “I think it has to do with money.” Another may picture it as ability. Actually both meanings are correct. The first two servants had wisely invested their talents, but the third had merely buried it in the earth. The master of the household reminded him that at least he could have taken the one to the bank where it would have gained interest. The word talent has to do with weight. There were so many units of weight in a talent. Its true value was to be determined by the metal that was weighed. There were both gold and silver talents. By best esti mates in our modern coinage, a tal ent would be worth around $1,000.00. Matthew 25:19-23 gives us a pic-, ture of this day of reckoning. We read, “After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.” He wanted an account ing given to determine if the stewards really knew how to invest money en trusted to them. Verse 20 tells us, “And so he that had received five tal ents came and brought other five tal ents.” He had earned a hundred per cent on his investment. He said, “Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou 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.” Incidentally, this portion of Scrip ture gives us both meanings of the word “talent” merged together in the
one statement. The greater the re sponsibility, the greater the privilege. What a great and important principle is introduced here. So many people want to begin at the top rather than at the bottom. Invariably, however, if a man is to be successful he must begin at the start and climb the lad der. Being faithful in the things which his hands find to do makes it possible for larger opportunities to open for him. A friend of mine is quite well up the ladder in life. Knowing him very well, it is interesting to realize that many of the opportunities which have come his way are because he was ready for them. He was asked to work for a certain well-known organization one time simply because when he was asked to preach at a church he was faithful and did the best he could. He didn’t know the opportunity would be coming to him, but he was prepared. Now, whatever opportunity the Lord might bring your way must be faced in the self-same manner. What was true with the dividends of the five talent man was also true with the two talent investor. His total was around $4,000.00. Believers today need to learn the lesson of faithfulness. You may be dreaming of living on mountain tops. You have built your air castles, and now conjecture on success in whatever type of life you have chosen, whether real or fanciful. The only way you can really climb is to get down to the bed rock of reality. The steps up are the steps of faithfulness. You must do what you know you should do right where you are before the Lord can give you something more, and per haps something with greater signifi cance. Everyone wants success. True hap piness, however, results in being faithful; in investing our talents for God’s greatest glory. They must be
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