Your two talents

But he that had received one talent went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money Matthew 25:18

I can imagine what that day would have been like, master calls servants together and he begins to share out the cash. To Simon, five talents, to Stephen four talents, Timothy got five as well, Matthew got three and I got two. I would have looked at my master in surprise, I would have looked at the other servants and wondered why. I would have wondered why they got more talents than I did. In my anger I would most likely have done what the servant did in a story told so long ago. In my anger, sorrow or whatever feeling I had, I would most likely have hidden the talents in the ground.

Today as with any other day, we get things, be them gifts; cash or kind, jobs, responsibilities, we get things in different sizes and different packaging. Now two things happen after we receive; firstly the manner in which we receive these gifts/responsibilities, secondly what we do after we have received. On the other hand there is the question what have we done to merit these gifts or responsibilities? In our work places most likely a result of hard work, with our family, friends and loved ones most likely as a result of being part of our lives. I am not writing on this day to talk about promotions, birthday gifts, thank you gifts and the likes. I am writing today to talk about God's free gift to us. Now the question is, what are these gifts, we have the fruits of the spirit, in our daily lives, there is a lot we do take granted (naming them will go beyond what I am talking about today).
There are a couple of things I did take note of in the passage;
Firstly

Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them Matthew 25:14

In the passage, the servants were entrusted with his wealth. Now looking at this, I am reminded of another passage in the Bible,

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”Matthew 28:18-20

It is one thing to share wealth and it is another to entrust. Entrust is to leave something in the care or protection of someone else.


Secondly,

He gave to each according to his ability Matthew 25:15b

Anyone remember the song by Kirk Franklin, "More than i can bear"? Simply put, it says God will not put more than you than you can bear, He will always make a way out for you as long as you put your trust in Him.

Why do I pull out the two different parts? It starts with a package, which for naming purposes I call "the two talents", some might have more, no one however has less. And it is given to us according to our abilities. Now some as stated in the parable, tend to get upset, wish they had more and some even go as far as burying these talents. But then they were entrusted to us, that we make the most out of it. I am not talking of gold, silver or precious things. I am talking of the free gift given us that is worth more than any of earth given substance. I speak of forgiveness and grace.
What have you done with your two talents today? Have you used it according to your Master's wishes or have you buried it underground? Are you jealous of others, desired more or have you used what you have in your hands?
Moses thought he was not able, Gideon thought he was not able, many people down the years have thought they were not able, but still with God, they did great things. What have you done with your two talents? It was what the 12 disciples started with, it was what Paul started with, it is what every believer starts with; forgiveness and grace. From those two, great things have sprung up and can spring up with you, yes even you.

Note: Talents here refer to money and not natural gifts inborn in all of us. Forgiveness and grace are free gifts, given to us as result of true repentance and being born again.